Occupational Hazards
by Knightwood
Summary: Being a Ranger has it's fair share of occupational hazards. The RPM team are all going to find out exactly how much their career paths have the potential to cost them.
1. Occupational Hazards

**A/N:** As promised, here's the sequel to "Summer's Plight". Hope you all like it, as always any comments are welcome.

**Legal:** I do not own Power Rangers or the associated names, characters, events, places etc. Anything not covered by the above rights should be considered purely the creation of the author.

**Rating: **T for adult content, and scenes of violence.

It was getting late when Summer came into her bed chamber at the end of a hard day. Venjix had not been kind to her, or given her any real amount of time to recover from her recent ordeal. Parts of her she had forgotten still ached as a result of her brutal incarceration in Corinth's prison system. She was glad to have received a full pardon by the Government, and she had already received many heartfelt letters of support and apology since word of the frame job Ronan had pulled became public knowledge. Of course that still didn't make her injuries heal any faster.

Tanaya 7 had somehow managed to find a small fluctuation in the shield's eastern fringe and led a huge number of grinders into the city. It had been a brutal assault, one that could have cost her dearly. Those Ranger suits only provided so much protection, and she had felt the battle taking its toll on her. She was glad that because of her helmet, none of the others could see the strain or the agony on her face as she battled through ranks of grinders that would normally cause her no significant problems.

She pulled off her t-shirt, and let out a sigh as she saw the massive collection of bruises covering her torso. If she could only get a few days to herself to recover, she was sure she would be fine, but so far Venjix hadn't been that kind. She was thankful that she was the only girl on the team, and that as a result she had a room to herself. She knew that Scott and Flynn would only worry. No doubt Ziggy would feel sorry for her, and she couldn't face that. He still hadn't really found his stride as a Ranger. She knew he was trying his best, and he had impressed her with his efforts but she still couldn't help thinking of him as the weakest member of the team. After all her efforts to prove herself throughout her career up until now, she just couldn't deal with anyone, least of all Ziggy looking down on her, regardless of how much she was hurting.

As she turned back to the bed and reached for her pyjamas, she stopped in her tracks as she found a note on her bed. She picked it up and started to smile as she realised that it was from Dillon. They had only told each other how they felt about each other a few days ago, but she still couldn't help thinking about him all the time.

She only thought about it for another couple of seconds before grabbing her t-shirt and pulling it back on. She grabbed her jacket, throwing it on to ensure her arms were covered. She didn't want Dillon to worry about her injuries. She only wanted him to think about her. She made her way out into the main Garage, finding him standing there waiting.

"It's been a rough night." He commented. Summer smiled at him and nodded in agreement.

"Psycho robot girl looked like she rung your bell pretty good with that last shot." She replied. "I was kind of worried."

"Well that's sweet, but I've got a hard head." He assured her warmly, taking her hands in his. "I had a lot of practice getting hit in the head outside the dome."

"You know most people wouldn't think that's something to brag about." She replied with a small laugh. She couldn't believe she had done that. She must have sounded like a lovesick little schoolgirl. She looked up at Dillon to gauge his reaction. He smiled at her, he seemed to like it. "You wanted to see me?"

"I always want to see you." He responded. "We have the place to ourselves."

"We do?" She asked him, raising her eyebrows a little. Her heart beat a little faster and her face flushed as she looked at the man she loved so much. She liked the thought of getting some time to herself with him. Living with two guys for so long, she had learned exactly how hard it could be to get a little privacy.

"Flynn's gone to spend a little time with Sam." He told her. "Scott went for a drive to let off some steam and I gave Ziggy a few credits and told him to go and see a movie."

"So we have the place to ourselves." She reiterated. "What did you have in mind?"

Dillon reached around behind her head gently and pulled her towards him, bringing his lips to hers in a soft kiss that made her lose herself in him completely. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation as his other hand reached around behind her back and pulled her into him. She wrapped her arms around him in response. She couldn't contain how wonderful he made her feel.

Suddenly, her brows furrowed and she brought her hands around in front of him. Something was wrong, something about it had changed. The hand on the back of her head gripped her tighter and she felt him bearing her against the pool table, leaning over her and bringing her down onto it. His grip on her was no longer gentle. Now it was strong, it was controlling but most of all, it was painful.

"Dillon..." She managed to mumble out as he continued to kiss her roughly. He was no longer kissing her gently and tenderly as he always did. He was hurting her. She tried to push him away as his hands began to grasp at her in a degrading and humiliating manner. "Dillon, please stop, you're hurting me!"

She struggled against him but his grip was too strong. He pinned her down, holding her wrists and preventing her from striking him. He pulled away a little, letting her see that it was not really Dillon at all. It was Ronan.

"I told you I'd be with you forever." He taunted her, a little smoke escaping from between his lips. It was then that she saw that part of the back of his head was missing. "We were always meant to be together."

Summer snapped upright in her bed, screaming and throwing the covers off her, looking around her bedroom in alarm. She was soaked in sweat and she was fighting for breath as her heart pounded in her chest. Tears burned in her eyes as she realised that it had happened again. She was grateful that the rooms were soundproof, the last thing she needed was for the others to find out she was freaking out over a few nightmares like a frightened little girl.

She made her way through to the bathroom and ran the cold tap, splashing some water onto her face and looking at herself in the mirror as she struggled to calm herself down. It had now been several days since she had been released from prison and Ronan's deceit had been discovered. Her injuries were healing, a few cuts and bruises still plagued her, and she had a few aches that just refused to give her a break, but on the whole she was getting better.

The only thing that bothered her now was these nightmares. She'd had them ever since Ronan had killed himself in an effort to escape justice for his actions. This one was the harshest by a long way. She had never been affected this harshly by one of those nightmares before, but it was not the first time she had trouble sleeping. In truth she hadn't slept for the whole night since it had happened. Sometimes she would get a few hours sleep before she saw him. Other times she wouldn't be able to close her eyes at all.

She looked at her watch and groaned as she realised it was only 4AM. She had only managed to get around five hours sleep. She was already pale and had dark circles under her eyes from sleepless nights. She had managed to get by so far, but she was sure that pretty soon the others would be starting to notice the fact she kept zoning out, and could barely concentrate on anything for more than a few minutes at a time. She was already exhausted, but she chose to simply get dressed. She knew there was no way she would get back to sleep now.

She made her way out into the main Garage and headed over to the kitchen area, switching on the coffee pot. Given her lack of sleep, she had been subsisting largely on a combination of strong coffee and over-the-counter caffeine tablets just to keep going. She rubbed her eyes and yawned as she waited for the coffee machine to finish. She felt a hand on her shoulder and shrieked, jumping in her panic and spinning around, finding Dillon standing before her.

"Damn it Dillon, don't do that!" She yelled at him, holding her chest as if she was trying to keep her heart from jumping out of her ribcage. "You scared the life out of me!"

"Well maybe if you'd cut down on the caffeine a little you wouldn't be wound so tight." He suggested as the coffee machine clicked off. "Would you mind telling me what's wrong?"

"What makes you think anything's wrong?" She asked him. Dillon put a hand on hers as she reached for her cup.

"Summer, you look like hell." He told her.

"Thanks." She replied sarcastically. "Why don't you try slapping me for good measure?"

"Would that help?" He asked her. "Summer, I love you. If there's something bothering you then I want to help."

"Look, I just couldn't sleep very well." She told him. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" He asked again, trying to look into her eyes. She could barely look at him, she was lying to him and he knew it. He was sure there was something a lot more serious going on in her mind than she was willing to admit, but he knew that if she wasn't ready to tell him there was not much he could do about it.

"I'll be fine." She repeated. "Anyway, you never told me what you're doing up at this time."

"I don't sleep remember?" He said with a little smile on his face as he moved closer to her. "I shut down some implants for a couple of minutes here and there, but other than that I'm a 24/7 kind of guy."

Summer felt warm as he drew closer to her. He leant in and kissed her warmly. For a moment she felt the horrible images leaving her and simply enjoyed the presence of the man she loved with her. As he reached his hands around her waist though, they all came rushing back. She instinctively reached down, throwing his hands off her and stepped away from him.

"Summer?" He asked her, looking at her curiously. She couldn't deny that there was a slight note of hurt in his expression. She hated to do that to him, but what could she tell him? That any time he got too close to her all she could think about was Ronan? That she was so afraid that she would find herself in that situation again she couldn't just relax and enjoy letting him hold her? She knew in her heart that she could trust him, but she just couldn't shake the images she saw in her dreams. As soon as she started to feel herself being held, she just started to feel trapped and she panicked.

"Sorry, I'm just a little tired." She lied through a weak smile. "I'm just going to take my coffee to my room and do some reading. Maybe I can get another couple of hours before the others get up."

As he watched her go, Dillon couldn't help feeling a little hurt at the way she had pulled away from him, but he didn't want to press the matter too much. He loved her too much to risk hurting her, and he knew that the business with Ronan had done a number on her. He could only hope that in time she would eventually be able to talk to him. Until then, all he could do was wait patiently for her and be there when she finally came to him.

Early the next morning, Flynn made his way to the nearby forensics lab with a spring in his step. He was always in a good mood whenever he went to see his long-term girlfriend. He signed himself in and made his way up to her lab. He found her in her office, struggling through a mountain of paperwork.

He paused for a second to straighten out his hair as he saw her there. Despite her early start and her heavy workload, she looked as beautiful to him now as she had on the night they had met during a military formal.

Samantha Jackson, or "Sam" to pretty much everyone who knew her, had been a keen science student for most of her life, and a career in forensics just seemed to fit her like a glove. She was kind of a quiet woman, though she was always cheerful and lively when she spoke to others, Flynn especially. She had shoulder-length brunette hair that she tied back out of habit when she worked in the lab. She was about 5' 5" in height with a slight build. He came over to the desk, placing the rose he had bought her under her nose to draw her attention. She looked up at him and her pronounced cheekbones seemed to lift as she gave him her usual large, bright smile.

"I wanted to surprise you." He told her, putting down a paper bag. "Can you spare a few minutes for breakfast?"

"I guess so." She replied, putting down the report she was working on and gesturing to another chair in the office. "It can only be a few minutes though. I've been swamped for days."

"There haven't been any major cases recently." He said as he sat down and took a doughnut from the bag. "What's got you so busy?"

"Well after Scott showed up the half-assed job Dr. McIntyre did of Summer's case the Justice Department canned him." She informed him. "Since I'm now the most senior staff member in this section I now have to go over every case he handled. His paperwork looks like it was written by a baboon with its hand taped together."

Flynn gave a little laugh as he heard this. That was an indication of how much Sam had hated her old boss. She almost never had a bad word to say about anyone. The fact she was willing to talk so derisively about him indicated how much she disliked him, but even at that she couldn't bring herself to say anything about him as a person. All she could do was point out the inadequacy of his work ethic.

"Look on the bright side; you are now the most senior member of the team." He reminded her. "That means you're in charge."

"Only until they find someone to replace McIntyre." She grumbled, taking a bite of a doughnut as she added some sugar to her coffee. "The board is such an old boy's club that I was amazed they got rid of him. I'll probably end up with someone just the same in time to do none of this paperwork and claim all the credit for straightening out this mess."

"I'll tell you what I'll do." Flynn interrupted her sympathetically. "How about I take you to dinner?"

"I'd love to, but I'll probably not get out of here at a decent time." She replied with a sigh. "I'd love you to come to my apartment though. Would you mind having take-out instead?"

"I think that sounds great." He told her, picking up his tea and taking a sip. "Anyway, I'll just take this and get out of your hair."

"I'm sure another couple of minutes wouldn't hurt." She responded. "Would you like me to walk you outside?"

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure." He replied as he hooked her arm with his own. She loved how attentive and thoughtful he could be. Given the nature of both their jobs, she didn't get a chance to spend as much time with him as she would like.

She looked up to him and smiled she had fallen for him in a big way. She had been going out with him for months, considerably longer than any of her previous relationships. Most guys quickly lost patience with her inability to dedicate much time to them and broke things off. Flynn was different though.

Even only spending a few minutes with her for breakfast, he would smile at her in a way that let her know that the way they felt in his time with her was more important to him than just having a lot of time with her. To her, the idea of spending a couple of hours with him tonight in her apartment was more than enough to make the relationship work.

She arrived outside with him and turned to face him, biting her lip nervously. She looked up into his eyes. This was the moment that was always both her favourite, but also the worst moment of any time they spent together.

"I'll see you later tonight pet." He told her, leaning down and kissing her deeply. Sam closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling she got every time he did that. No matter how little time she spent with him, that moment always made her feel like the most important person in the world.

"I'll see you tonight." She replied as she turned ant made her way back into the lab. As Flynn left the building, with a huge smile on his face, he didn't notice a dark-haired girl across the street watching him.

Tenaya 7 got a little smirk on her face as she left the area. Venjix had created her with a human mind and heart as an infiltration unit. She knew how human emotions worked.

"I thought the Green Ranger was the weak one." She sneered as she slipped into the shadows. "I guess the Blue Ranger will be the first to fall."


	2. Consequences

Summer made her way to the local high school at lunch time, making her way through the security checkpoint. Since she had been released from prison along with her former cellmate Jennifer, known inside by her nickname "Mouse", she had been keeping in touch with the young woman who'd managed to help her maintain some measure of her sanity during the ordeal.

She still didn't know how much of her sanity she had managed to maintain. She still hadn't slept one full night since she had watched Ronan kill himself rather than face imprisonment for his crimes. She couldn't shake the image of him placing the blaster into his mouth and pulling the trigger. She could still see the blood splattering across her face and chest; still smell the horrendous stench of burnt human flesh and hair. More than anything, she couldn't shake his taunting words as he told her he would be with her forever. The thought horrified her, but all things considered, she was beginning to think he might be right.

She loved Dillon so much. Being close to him made her feel good about herself. Any time he kissed her she felt like nothing else mattered in the world as long as they were together. Unfortunately she found that she was having problems letting him hold her.

She knew in her mind and in her heart that he would never take advantage of her. That he would never hurt her, but any time he had his arms around her she just froze. She loved his gentle touch, but because of what Ronan had done to her any time his arms were around her, she felt like she couldn't get away. Trapped and vulnerable like she had been as a teenager when her former training officer had attacked her, and like she had done back at the apartment when his three accomplices tried to restrain her.

She couldn't forget the look on his face when she swiped his hands off her in the Garage earlier. He had tried to hide it from her, make it seem like it didn't matter, but she knew that it hurt him when she pulled away. She could see it in his eyes. The last thing she wanted was for him to think that she didn't love him, or that she didn't trust him, but so far she couldn't stop herself from feeling an intense panic whenever she felt trapped. She knew it was down to the dreams, it just had to be.

She smiled as she noticed Jennifer helping out some students with the inventory. She looked in her element here in a way she never had at the prison. Since it had been discovered that the fraud she had been arrested for was in fact down to her former boss and her conviction had been overturned, Colonel Truman had used his political influence to convince the Education Authority to re-hire her as a librarian. She looked up to see Summer and waved, smiling happily. She was so much happier here; this was easily where she belonged.

She finished with the students she was helping and bounded over to Summer with enthusiasm. Summer had called to arrange lunch with her at the end of her first week back at the school to see how she was settling in. By the look of the smile on her face, she needn't have worried. Apparently Jennifer was having an easier time getting back to normal than she was, and she had been wrongly imprisoned for a year and a half. Summer had only been there for a few days. In some ways it just made her feel worse to know that she was so weak.

"Hi there Summer, are you ready to go?" Jennifer asked her.

"I'd have thought they needed you here Mouse." Summer commented, gesturing around to the packed library. It was coming close to the end of the semester, and the kids were anxiously trying to finish off coursework and prepare for exams. She realised that she had mistakenly called her Mouse, a name she had been given in prison because of her small size and nervous disposition. "Sorry Jennifer."

"It's OK; it's taking me a while to get used to it too." She replied. "I was called Mouse by everyone for a year and a half. I've kind of gotten used to it. I've actually introduced myself as Mouse a couple of times since I got out. Anyway, they have seven other library assistants here. It's my turn for early lunch, so we're fine to go."

"I guess everyone has stuff to get used to when they get out." Summer responded quietly, thinking about her situation. "So where are we going?"

"I thought we'd try the hot dog vendor out in the quad." Jennifer answered. "The canteen's always kind of packed at this time and I only get about 20 minutes for lunch."

It didn't sound like much, but as long as she got to see her friend, she was only too happy to go with it. She knew the real reason for the choice of venue anyway. Jennifer was claustrophobic. The library was large enough that it didn't cause her to panic, but at lunch time the canteen would be full of hungry students and faculty members. It would have to be almost as bad as the punishment box back at the prison for her. Jennifer hooked her arm in Summer's and led her from the library.

"Anyway, let's go." She beckoned her. "If we don't get there soon they'll be out of sauerkraut."

Meanwhile, Tenaya 7 watched the outside of the forensics office, waiting for her target. She had seen the Blue Ranger with one of the workers there and had gotten the idea that this might be a weakness in the team. So far the only other weakness she could see was the irritating little weakling that had prevented her from claiming the Ranger Series Green technology.

She had seen him with the Rangers and had thought that he might be a weak link, but now that he had the Series Green powers bonded to him, he was no longer defenceless. The weakest link in the team, yes, but not defenceless. She had a vast knowledge of guerrilla warfare tactics as befitted her designation as an infiltration unit, and while she was a powerful warrior, she knew that it was always best to find the path of least resistance. And right now she could see that the only one with a connection to the Rangers that was powerless to resist her worked in that building.

Sam came out of the lab building after a long day of paperwork. She had given herself a headache working through literally hundreds of case reports handled by her former boss. She still had a long way to go to work through all the potentially mishandled cases, but she had exhausted herself enough for one night. All she wanted to do was go home, have a shower and call Flynn to come over.

Across the street, Tenaya 7 smirked as she saw her target emerging from the building and adopted a less conspicuous outfit. She made her way along the street behind Sam, keeping a safe distance. Watching her take a shortcut down a side-alley, she made her move, rushing up behind her and shoving her to the ground.

Sam realised she was being attacked and instinctively reached into her purse. Tenaya grabbed her, pulling her close and glaring into her eyes.

"You can come with me the easy way, or the hard way!" She hissed menacingly, hauling Sam to her knees.

"Sorry, I have plans." Sam responded, pressing the barrel of a hand blaster into the cyborg's abdomen hard enough for her to feel it. "Let go of me!"

"Try it if you dare." Tenaya warned her, reaching back a fist to strike. Sam was left with no choice but to fire. Tenaya staggered backwards from the force of the blast. Blood sprayed from her, and she felt a warm sensation in her stomach.

Sam looked up at Tenaya in horror as she stood before her. There was a wound in her stomach that penetrated straight through her. It should probably have been fatal; certainly the victim shouldn't still be on her feet. Sam realised to her horror who this was, Flynn had explained about Tenaya 7. The cyborg got a twisted snarl on her face and stepped forward, swiping away the blaster.

"Big mistake!" She snapped, punching her hard across the face, knocking her unconscious. She bent down, picking up Sam's unconscious body and threw it over one shoulder. As she stood up, a couple of soldiers arrived, drawn by the sound of the blaster shot.

"Put the woman down!" One of them demanded, pulling out his weapon. Tenaya Sam's discarded blaster at him, slamming it into his face and knocking him unconscious. Changing back into her battle form, she pressed the side of her head set, bringing down her face guard.

"Do you really want to try this?" She asked him. The remaining soldier lowered his weapon, trembling in fear.

Tenaya threw Sam at him, knocking him to the ground, before standing over him and kicking him in the head, knocking him unconscious. She picked Sam up again, before leaping impossibly onto a nearby rooftop and leaving the area. The Blue Ranger would be the first to fall. All she had to do now was find somewhere to keep the good doctor and affect some repairs. She had underestimated her opponent. It was a mistake she would not make with the Blue Ranger.

Back at the Garage, Dillon was sitting on the couch, reading a magazine when Ziggy came into the room, opening the fridge and cracked open a carton of milk. As the rim was about to touch his lips, a huge laser cannon came out, pointing directly at him. Ziggy pulled the carton away and held his hands up defensively.

"OK, OK I'll get a glass!" He shrieked. The cannon withdrew into the fridge as he went to the counter to get a glass. "Dr. K has serious issues."

"I guess she does over-react a little." Dillon replied with a shrug. "Of course I'd really rather not be swapping spit samples with you any time I want some milk. No offence Ziggy."

"None taken." He laughed, pouring himself a glass of milk, before replacing the carton in the fridge. "Of course I'm sure you'd much rather be swapping spit with Summer."

"Careful Ziggy." He said with a cold stare in warning.

"Hey, I just think it's great the two of you are happy." He replied as she sat down with his friend, taking a loud slurp. "The way you two have been staring at each other has been like watching a bad high school drama."

"Sometimes it feels like that and..." Dillon got an annoyed look on his face and his words tailed off. "Why the hell am I talking to you about this? Get the hell out of here Ziggy!"

"Chill out a bit, we're all Rangers here." He reminded the Black Ranger. "I'd talk to you if I found..."

"OK Ziggy, what'll it cost me to get you to stop talking and leave right now?" Dillon asked him. "Don't forget that I can and will hurt you."

"Give me that cupcake you have." He stated. Dillon just picked up the cupcake and handed it to him. Ziggy got up and left the room obediently. Dillon just pulled out a lollipop and placed it in his mouth as he threw the magazine aside.

He wasn't really angry with Ziggy; in truth he kind of liked the little guy. He just seemed to connect with him in a way the others hadn't. Really he was just frustrated with the situation with Summer.

He understood that there would be problems; she had been through a terrible ordeal. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like for her to face being assaulted like that, not once, but twice. He had been told by the others that the original incident with Ronan had taken a lot out of her; the whole situation with the false imprisonment had to have been nothing short of a nightmare. He had tortured her mercilessly, bringing back everything that she had put behind her before, and forced her to face it again.

More than that, he had convinced her that she had betrayed everything that she held dear, making her believe that she was a murderer. Finally, he had forced her to face the possibility of a lifetime as his toy, his helpless victim, his plaything, just as he had wanted.

He couldn't even give her the satisfaction or the closure of a trial. He had taken the coward's way out and blown his brains out in front of her, but not before sneering at her, taunting her one last time about how she would never be rid of him. He had felt the pain and anguish flow out of her as he held her to his chest, preventing her from seeing the horror of his corpse. In the days that followed, she had told them that she was just getting back on her feet, but Dillon knew that wasn't the case. If anything she was getting worse, falling apart at the seams slowly but surely.

He wanted to help her, but she was so stubborn that he knew suggesting she needed help would only set her off. She hated feeling helpless, and could never let the guys see her that way. She was the kind of person who always tried to handle everything on her own, just like him. Of course he had found out himself how destructive that attitude could be. Sometimes people needed help, but he couldn't force her. She had to come to the conclusion herself that she needed to talk about what was bothering her. He hoped he had the strength to be patient with her until she did. He just wished it didn't hurt so much that she kept pushing him away.

Back at the school, Summer sat, absent-mindedly stirring her coffee as Jennifer talked about...something. She didn't really know, but that was mainly because she wasn't paying attention. Her eyelids were beginning to get heavy again, and she had to keep blinking as her eyes felt exhausted.

"Summer, are you listening?" Jennifer asked her, jabbing a finger into her shoulder. Summer looked up at her blankly.

"Yeah, it sounds great Jennifer." She murmured. Jennifer just looked at her a little unconvinced.

"What's wrong Summer?" She asked the Yellow Ranger. "You haven't paid attention to a thing I've said."

"Yes I have." Summer replied wearily. "You said you love being back in your old job."

"Summer, that was ten minutes ago." She responded. "Besides, that honey you're stirring into your coffee? It's mustard."

Summer looked down at the squeezable bottle in her hand and confirmed that Jennifer was right. She groaned and threw it away, dumping the cup in a recycling bin.

"Summer, I didn't want to bring this up, but you look terrible." She continued, shifting a little closer. "Are you feeling alright?"

"You sound like Dillon." Summer answered as she rubbed her eyes. "I just didn't sleep well last night."

"Maybe you should listen to him." Jennifer suggested sympathetically, putting an arm around her. "The conversation's been kind of one-way since we got here."

"I told you, I'm fine Jennifer." Summer repeated. "I guess I just need a bit of a rest when I get back."

"You look like you need a chemically induced coma for about a fortnight." Jennifer told her. "Are you sure you've only had one restless night? You're as white as a sheet. Your eyes are dark, and look like you need matchsticks to keep them open and you keep zoning out."

"OK, It's been more than one night." Sumer admitted in a sigh. "I haven't slept properly since I got out."

"Since Ronan killed himself you mean." Jennifer shot back. "Summer, maybe you need some help."

"No, I'll be fine." She muttered. "I can't afford to take time out. The guys need me..."

"Well think about them then." Jennifer snapped back at her. "If you keep this up, you're going to burn out. What good are you going to be to the guys if you pass out in the middle of a battle? You can barely concentrate on anything as it is."

"What are you suggesting Mouse? That I see a shrink?" Summer asked her incredulously. "I can't do that! I won't!"

"Calm down Summer, I'm your friend." Jennifer said as calmly as she could, seeing how worked up she was getting. People in the quad were already beginning to stare.

"A friend who thinks I'm a psycho!" She snapped as she lost what little patience she had. "What do you think would happen if I said I wanted to see a shrink? The others would think I'm a loser! That I'm weak! Helpless! Do you think they'd want a loony watching their backs? I've worked too damn hard for this Mouse!"

"No one's saying you haven't..."

"Forget it Mouse!" She snapped as she turned and stormed away. Jennifer couldn't help feeling badly for her friend. She knew that in her exhaustion her temper had gotten the best of her and that she didn't really mean what she had said, but it was becoming obvious that there was a lot more wrong with her than she was willing to admit. She could only hope that Summer would realise it too before something serious happened.

Tenaya 7 arrived in an old foundry, placing Sam gently on the ground. She looked around for something to use to restrain her as the forensics expert came to. Sam looked up in a panic as Tenaya approached her with a steel reinforcing rod.

"Put your ankles together and keep them there." Tenaya warned her sternly. "I'm going to restrain you."

"You think I'd make it easy on you?" Sam asked her. Tenaya just laughed.

"The alternative is I just rip your legs off." The psychotic cyborg replied. "So what's it to be?"

Sam could see from the sadistic gleam in her eyes that she was serious. She put her ankles together, at which Tenaya began bending the steel rod impossibly with her bare hands, wrapping it around her ankles and binding her legs together. There was no way she would be able to free herself without cutting tools; it was only Tenaya's enhanced strength that made it possible to bend it originally. Sam knew it was pointless to even try to remove it with her bare hands.

"What do you want with me?" Sam asked her. "Is this about Flynn?"

"Is that what the Blue Ranger calls himself?" She asked in reply. Sam nodded. "Yes, this is to draw him out. Destroying the Rangers one at a time will be easier than taking them on all at once."

Sam pulled herself against a wall, sitting with her back to it as Tenaya began searching some debris for something. She found a blow-torch, and shook it, finding that there was some fuel in it. She sparked it alight.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked her in a panic, her eyes never straying from the blue flame.

"You damaged my biological frame." Tenaya answered. "I need to perform some repairs."

She struggled for a second, fumbling the torch as she tried in vain to hold the wound closed and cauterise it at the same time.

"I can help you." Sam told her. Tenaya looked at her suspiciously.

"Do you think I'm that stupid?" She snapped.

"I can't walk." Sam reminded her captor. "Where am I going to go?"

Tenaya thought about it for a few minutes. The blowtorch didn't have much fuel, and if she didn't cauterise the wound, her self-repair system wouldn't be able to close it. It was too wide. She brought down her face shield and approached Sam, handing her the blowtorch. She pulled open her bodysuit and turned her back, holding the exit wound closed with her fingers.

"If you do anything other than close the wound, I will kill you." She stated coldly. Sam reluctantly brought the flame to her flesh.

Tenaya flinched a little as she felt the flame searing her flesh. She didn't suffer the same traumatic shock from injury as humans, she still had pain receptors. She could still function through pain that would floor a human, it still hurt.

"Turn around." Sam instructed her. Tenaya turned to face her, and held the entry wound closed with her fingers. Sam again began searing the flesh shut with the torch, balking slightly at the smell of burning human flesh. When she was finished, Tenaya grabbed the blow torch and shut it off, before throwing it through a window, far out of reach.

She stood up and re-fastened the bodysuit closed, before inspecting the work. The wound was sealed completely closed. It would have caused a horrific scar in a normal human, though likely by this time a normal human would have perished from the injury. To Tenaya though, it was just an annoying reminder of her misjudgement. She knew that in a few hours her self-repair system would have dealt with the scar tissue, leaving her looking as she always had.

"Thank you." Tenaya said to her hostage. "I am holding you against your will. Why would you help me?"

"You needed help, and I can't escape by myself." She replied. "I was hoping not to antagonise you."

Tenaya sneered at this answer and turned from her hostage. Did she really hope that she would be released by being nice to her? Didn't she realise that she was only bait to draw the Blue Ranger to the foundry? She would serve her purpose soon enough. Tenaya only needed her alive long enough to bring the Blue Ranger here. After that, she would suffer the same fate as a worm on a hook.

Summer arrived back at the Garage, making her way into her bedroom and pulled a bottle of pills out of her jacket pocket. As much as she was still enraged by what was happening to her and Jennifer's suggestion that she needed help, she was right about one thing. She was no good to the team in this state. She needed some rest. She opened the bottle of sleeping tablets and poured out a couple of them, before throwing them down her neck, washing them down with a glass of water. The others would know where to find her if she was needed. Right now, she needed to sleep. She put the bottle of pills into her bedside drawer, before turning onto the bed and falling asleep.

Flynn was sitting in the Garage, making himself a smoothie, while Dillon and Scott played pool in the latest of their competitions for dominance. Flynn always had to chuckle as he saw them continue to take every opportunity to bait each other into pointless competition. They were both so similar that it was funny. They weren't used to taking instructions, and so they continued to try and get one up on the other to prove their superiority.

As he finished with his drink, his cell phone went off. He groaned as he realised that this was yet another smoothie he would have to put in the fridge for later. He wasn't disappointed for long though. The caller ID let him know it was Sam.

"Hey there sweetheart, are you ready for me to come around?" He asked her with a cheerful grin.

"Any time sweetheart." Tenaya 7 replied. Flynn's face fell as he recognised the voice. "Don't alert the others in any way. If you do, your girlfriend will be dead before I hang up."

He turned away from his comrades before answering.

"Is there anything I can bring over?" He asked her. "Is there some way to prove how crazy you make me?" He emphasised the word prove to send a message to the cyborg without alerting the others. Tenaya handed the phone to Sam.

"Flynn?" She asked him. "She's holding me in the old foundry." Tenaya ripped the phone from her hand.

"Meet me here alone inside the hour." Tenaya told him. "If I see anyone but you, your girlfriend dies."

As she hung up, Flynn struggled to keep his composure and not give away what was going on in his mind.

"I love you too Sam." He said, before hanging up. He pulled out the keys to his truck and climbed in.

"Time for the hot date?" Ziggy asked him.

"It is indeed pal." He replied through a forced smile. "Don't wait up guys."

With that, he drove out of the garage and into the night. Every ounce of his being wanted nothing more than to be sure that Sam was safe. She meant too much to him to allow her to die because of him.

Back at the foundry, Tenaya crushed the cell phone into smithereens, before turning to face her captive. She became curious as she saw that she was crying. She came over to her and knelt beside her, stroking a tear from her cheek with her finger.

"I have not hurt you." She stated. "Why are you crying?"

"You want to destroy Flynn." Sam replied in a shaky, fearful voice. "He's coming here because of me."

"So he gets destroyed." Tenaya stated. "I thought humans had a self-preservation instinct like mine. Would you prefer if I destroyed you?" Sam nodded her head as her tears came more freely. She was terrified of her captor, but the thought of Flynn being killed in an attempt to save her was devastating to her.

"I would." She replied. "I love him."

"Love?" Tenaya asked her. "Curious. This love, it's a virus that over rides the survival instinct?"

"It's a lot more complicated than that." Sam responded. "You wouldn't understand."

Tenaya just snorted in disgust and turned away from her, leaving the room but she couldn't help thinking about what she had said. Flynn was coming alone to certain destruction just for the chance to save her despite the fact it would make his team weak following his death. Her hostage had told her that she would rather die herself than see Flynn being killed. What was this force that had such a profound effect on the human psyche? What was love?

Meanwhile, back at the Garage, Summer thrashed around on the bed in terror as another nightmare assaulted her. This time she was back in that alley as a 19 year old cadet, being beaten and battered mercilessly by her former training officer. She looked up to him as he grabbed her. Once again, it wasn't the face he had back then, but the one she had seen on the night he had killed himself. Smoke came from his mouth as he spoke.

"Summer!" He called out. She began to shake violently. His voice changed, and she rushed from her dream and back into consciousness.

She hadn't closed the door to her bedroom, and so Ziggy had heard her screaming. He was shaking her to bring her back around.

"Summer!" He yelled. "Summer, it's alright, it's..."

He was sent flying by a hard punch in the face, sending him to the floor. Summer leapt on top of him, winding him. She wrapped her hands around his throat, squeezing as hard as she could.

"Get out of my life!" She screamed in her violent rage, continuing to strangle the Green Ranger. "I hate you Ronan! Get out of my life! Leave me alone!"

Scott and Dillon arrived in the room, turning on the lights and finding her choking Ziggy aggressively. His eyes bulged and his face was turning red. Scott surged forward, tackling her and pulling her off him. Dillon just stood, unable to move as he watched Scott wrestling on the floor with her, trying to restrain her as she continued to fight. He couldn't believe that she would lash out against her own friends like that.

"Summer, we're your friends!" Scott screamed at her as he held her down. "Ronan's dead, he can't hurt you, calm down!"

"Get off me!" She screamed. "Let me go!"

"Dillon, get out of the way!" Dr. K ordered him as she barged into the room. "Scott, Ziggy, hold her down. She's hysterical; I'll have to sedate her."

Summer let out another anguished cry and tears streamed down her face as Ziggy and Scott held her down, allowing Dr. K to inject her with a sedative. She quickly settled down and became a lot more lucid. She looked around, realising what had happened. She had tried to kill Ziggy believing him to be Ronan. She had thought her friends were trying to hurt her. The nightmares had harmed her a lot more deeply than she had imagined.

She sat with her back against the bed and wept as she realised that she couldn't deal with it on her own. As much as she wanted to, she just couldn't.

"I'm sorry!" She sobbed in her sorrow. "I'm so sorry!"

Dillon wanted nothing more than to hold her and comfort her, but right now, he knew that would probably be the last thing that would help. Right now, she needed help. The kind of help that he couldn't offer her.


	3. Issues

Summer sat, her arms folded around her defensively on the couch as the others stared at her. She had been sedated, and so had calmed down enough to realise that she was among friends, and didn't need to defend herself, though that only made the situation now more painful.

She couldn't look at them, she had been so immersed in the visions in her head she hadn't noticed that the man she attacked was Ziggy, one of her team mates. She had tried to kill one of her friends in her panic. Her terror had blinded her to the fact that she was safe.

She fidgeted uneasily with the bracelets around her left wrist as she looked around at them. There was no judgement in their expressions. Ziggy looked a little angry and scared, but that was understandable. She had tried to strangle him. If anything they looked on her with sorrow. She would have thought the worst thing that could happen was if they hated her. Now though, she felt so much worse. They felt sorry for her.

"What's the story Summer?" Scott asked her.

"I haven't been able to sleep properly since I got home from the prison." She admitted in a whisper.

"It's more than that isn't it?" Scott pressed on. Dillon couldn't say anything. He wanted to step in and help, but they needed to know what was going on in her mind if they were going to figure out why she attacked Ziggy, and as much as they still clashed heads, he knew Scott had known her a lot longer than he had. Summer nodded sadly and wiped away a tear.

"I've been having nightmares." She told them. "I've been having nightmares ever since Ronan killed himself."

Dillon and Ziggy looked at each other uneasily. They'd known that something wasn't right with Summer, but they wouldn't have pictured something like this.

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about him since it happened." She sniffed as her tears began again. She held a hand over her eyes and hid her face from them as much as she could. "I've tried to put it behind me, but it just won't stop. I can't get him out of my head."

Dillon turned into the wall, resting his forehead on it, and Ziggy placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He knew that this was painful for the Black Ranger. Ronan had done so much damage to her, but Dillon could do nothing about it. He couldn't even exact vengeance; her tormentor was beyond his reach. He had blown his own brains out in preference to facing justice for his actions. In some ways, it was the cruellest thing he could do. He wanted nothing more than to hurt him, to exchange every minute of pain he'd inflicted on Summer for an hour of his own. Of course, now he couldn't. Ronan was dead, safe from repercussions for his actions. Now Dillon had to watch the woman he'd grown to love suffering and he could do nothing about it.

"Ziggy, I'm sorry." She sobbed as she looked up at the Green Ranger. "I'd never hurt any of you. You know that right?"

Seeing the hopeful look in her eyes he nodded. Despite everything, he understood that she had to be going through hell if she was willing to choke the life out of him with her bare hands. Besides Dillon, she had been the one that reached out to him. He knew that she still looked down on him as the others did since he was the weakest member of the team, but she made an effort to prepare him for his role as a Ranger. More than that, she actually treated him as something other than a joke, something that was a unique feeling to him. Almost everyone treated him as a joke, but Summer and Dillon saw him as a person. Summer smiled a little as she realised that Ziggy didn't hold the attack against her.

"Why didn't you talk to us?" Scott asked her, sitting on the couch with her and putting an arm around her shoulders. She shrugged it off quickly in a reflex, and quickly regretted it. Scott said nothing about the slight. "We're your friends, why didn't you talk to us?"

"You've all had to save me once." She told him. "Your dad saved me before. I didn't want you to think I was weak."

She looked at the floor, unable to look the man she almost thought of as a brother in the eyes. She wiped her eyes with her wrist.

"I thought you wouldn't respect me anymore." She admitted.

"Summer, we've known each other since we were kids." He said reassuringly. "You're like a sister to me. You couldn't do anything that would make me lose respect for you."

"I was just sure you would kick me out." She wailed as she wept into her hands. "I thought if I needed to see a shrink you'd have no confidence in me when the chips were down."

"Why would I think that?" He asked her. "I saw a psychologist, and I'm alright."

Summer looked up at him as he admitted this. She didn't know he had seen a therapist. He smiled at her.

"When my brother died I had a hard time dealing with it." He told her. "Admitting you need help isn't a sign of weakness; it's a sign that you're human."

As he tried to hug her, she threw his arms off again in her panic, but she immediately hated herself for it. Of all the people in the world, she knew that Scott and Dillon would never betray her trust; she just couldn't control her instinct to defend herself.

"I'm sorry Scott." She murmured as her chin found her chest. "I've been having problems letting people hold me. Any time someone holds me, I can't breathe. I just remember the attack and I can't help myself. I just lash out."

"This is about the assault?" Dillon asked her. She tried to look away, but he cradled her chin with his hand and turned her face towards him. She nodded.

"I love you Dillon, I want you to hold me, really I do but any time I feel someone holding me I just feel trapped." She told him regretfully. "I want to take things further; I just can't get over that image in my head. I can't just let myself be vulnerable like that."

He smiled as she finished. He had been so hurt when she pulled away from him. He had been terrified that she didn't love him as much as he loved her. Now though, he knew the truth. She wasn't rejecting him personally; she just couldn't let anyone hold her. Scott was like family to her, if she couldn't let him touch her, it was obvious she had problems. He leant in, kissing her softly, taking care not to put his hands around her in any way.

"Summer, I love you." He told her. "I won't do anything that you don't want."

"Dillon, I want to take things further, I really do." She told him, touching his cheek gently. "I just can't right now. I just can't."

"Summer, the team needs to be at full strength, and it can't while you're like this." Dr. K stated. Summer looked up at her. She didn't have anything against her really, but she had always prided herself on being the only girl on the team. It was part of her self-image that she was the only girl that could make it in this selective world. When Dr. K had stepped out of the shadows and revealed herself to be a woman, she had lost that identity. She didn't really hate Dr. K, but she did have a small level of resentment towards her.

"Is this the part where you ask me to hand back my morpher?" Summer asked her with a little venom in her voice.

"Far from it." Dr. K assured her. "The reason I chose you to become the Yellow Ranger was your courage. You've shown that every time I've needed you to do battle."

"But you think I'm a coward now." Summer replied, wiping her tears away again. "I'm scared of a dead man and...."

"I don't think you're a coward." Dr. K interrupted her. "Courage isn't the absence of fear; it's the ability to do what's right even when you are afraid. You've never lost that, not once. Even when you were facing your worst nightmare, you tried to help Mouse." She knelt by the Yellow Ranger and placed a hand on her knee.

"I think you need help." She told Summer sympathetically. "You should see a psychologist."

"None of us would think any less of you." Scott stated flatly, holding her hand. She looked to Dillon, who just smiled at her with the same smile that she had been drawn to in the beginning.

"I'll wait as long as you need." He said as he looked at her. "I love you, and I want you to be happy. Take as long as you need."

Meanwhile, Tenaya 7 was pacing impatiently as she waited for the Blue Ranger to arrive. Just as she had predicted, he cared for Sam, and was willing to risk his own like to come and face her. There was only one thing that bothered her. Sam had told her she hoped he wouldn't come alone. That he would bring the others, even though he had been told that if he did so, she would be killed.

She knew something of love. As an infiltration unit, she had been made largely with an understanding of human emotions. It made it easier for her to manipulate them.

She knew that sometimes humans felt a bond to others. Sometimes that bond was stronger than mere friendship; sometimes it caused them to share their lives. It seemed that the Blue Ranger had such a bond with Sam.

She had seen them together outside the lab where she worked. She had seen them and their body language was very intimate. She understood physical boundaries in humans, and she knew that within a foot of each other was the zone of intimacy, ordinarily they would not allow someone within that area, it left them vulnerable. Of course that was different when they were in love.

However, she had since found out that there was more to this bond than merely wishing to protect the other. Apparently it was so strong it could over ride the survival instinct.

This was the thing that bothered her that she couldn't understand. Being largely human, she had a survival instinct, unlike her purely mechanical comrades. While they would willingly march to their own destruction without a second thought, she would always seek to escape with her life, even if it meant defying Venjix. She had already fought for her own survival against Venjix when it ordered her destruction. It had since reconsidered and kept her around, but she was under no false impressions that the situation could change.

She had been under the impression that the survival instinct was the human's most basic instinct. She was willing to defy Venjix if her survival instinct came into direct conflict with its orders. So she couldn't understand why Sam would express being willing to sacrifice her own life if it meant the Blue Ranger would survive.

She went back into the main room, finding Sam still sitting there, unable to escape as a result of having her legs restrained. Tenaya came over to her, crouching near her and looking at her curiously.

"I don't understand you." She stated flatly, brushing some hair from her face. "You really would prefer to die than have the Blue Ranger put himself in danger wouldn't you?"

"His name is Flynn." Sam corrected her. "Yes."

"But you know the only chance you have of getting out of this alive is if he does as I say." Tenaya responded. "Is that love?"

"Yes." Sam informed her. "It's because I love him that I don't want him to risk himself for me."

Tenaya pulled closer, uncomfortably close to Sam. She still wanted to understand what this feeling of love was. She could remember seeing how they interacted with each other. She held Sam's head and pulled her into a long kiss. Sam could only stare at her in disbelief as she released her. Tenaya looked into her eyes, but seemed no less confused. If anything, she seemed to be frustrated that she was no closer to figuring out what Sam was talking about.

"I feel no different." Tenaya told her. "I did exactly what the Blue Ranger...What I saw Flynn doing earlier."

"You can't just kiss someone and understand love." Sam told her. "You don't love someone because you kiss them; you kiss them because you love them."

Tenaya just snorted in her disgust and stood up, stepping away from her. She couldn't contain her frustration that she didn't understand the bond between them. She was so lost in her frustration that she hadn't noticed Flynn entering the foundry. He levelled his Turbo Cannon in her direction.

"You got what you wanted, I'm here." He told her. "Let Sam go, she means nothing to you."

"You're not match for me Blue Ranger." She sneered as she lowered her face guard. "Now, how about lowering the weapon? We both know you can't risk firing it in here. You'll be putting her life in danger."

"Let her go." He yelled, powering up the cannon. "It's me you want."

"Flynn, I can't leave." Sam informed him, gesturing to the steel rod securing her legs together. "I can't walk."

"It looks like your girlfriend's staying for the show." Tenaya taunted him. "Now, how about we get this started?"

Flynn set down the Turbo Cannon and pulled out his Nitro Sword, beginning to circle her. Tenaya was right about one thing, he couldn't risk using the Turbo Cannon inside the building, it was so powerful, he would risk the building collapsing, and he couldn't take that chance while Sam was there. He let out a huge cry and charged the cyborg, throwing himself into the battle with a passion. He needed to take her down, since Sam couldn't leave; he was under no false impressions that Tenaya almost certainly had no intention of releasing her. The only way Sam would get out of this alive was if he could defeat her.

Scott and Dr. K left Summer's room, finding Ziggy and Dillon sitting in the main garage. Ziggy was busy comforting Dillon. It was unbearable for him that he could do nothing for her at this time. He looked up as they returned to the room.

"I've given her something that should prevent her going into REM sleep." Dr. K assured him. "It'll stop her having another nightmare. We can sort out an appointment with a psychologist tomorrow."

"It's a start." Scott told them. "She's sleeping now; hopefully getting a decent rest should help things along."

"So we're just going to drug her?" Dillon asked them a little sceptically. "That doesn't really sound like a long-term solution."

"We can use medication to block out the nightmares until the therapy sessions take effect." Scott answered. "She'll need to sort through the nightmares herself."

"I still can't believe that bastard's still screwing with her head even now." Dillon said, the anger in his voice obvious. "I never expected her to get over it in a week, but I can't believe he's done this to her."

"Hey, she's really strong." Scott reminded him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It'll take time, but I'm sure she'll get through this."

"We're all going to be there for her." Ziggy assured him. "You aren't the only one who cares about her."

"Thanks, but I think it's Summer that needs the help." He responded.

"Hey, we all have an investment in this." Scott reminded him. "We're all upset about this. We'll get her through this together."

Meanwhile, back at the foundry, Dillon was thrown across the main room, slamming hard into the wall.

"Flynn!" Sam screeched as she saw him slump to the floor. He looked over to her, and willed himself back to his feet. He got up, facing down his opponent. Tenaya made her way over to his Turbo Cannon, picking it up off the ground.

"Well this had been fun, but I really think it's time to end this." She told him, pointing the cannon at the ceiling. "Goodbye Blue Ranger."

He looked between Tenaya and Sam, and he realised that he would never make it to her in time to stop her firing the cannon. He sprinted as quickly as he could towards the woman he loved, throwing himself on top of her protectively as Tenaya fired.

The building collapsed all around them, throwing debris and dust in all directions. Tenaya 7 dragged herself out of the debris, dusting herself off. Her right arm hung uselessly at her side, completely shattered. An ache in her side informed her that at least one of her ribs was broken. If she had been a human, she would almost certainly have been in no state to walk. She made her way over to Flynn, finding him on the ground unconscious. The building collapse had used the last of the suit's protective energy, leaving him unmorphed and unconscious. She scanned him quickly, finding that his vitals were weak. It was unlikely he would survive without medical attention.

She kicked him over, finding Sam lying unconscious beneath him. He had used his own body to protect her. Just like Flynn, her vitals were bottoming out. She'd almost certainly be dead already if it hadn't been for Flynn's sacrifice.

Tenaya threw aside the Turbo Cannon and looked down over them with a sense of accomplishment. She had taken care of the Blue Ranger as she had intended. She turned and walked away. She still didn't understand why the Blue Ranger had risked everything for this woman; of course it didn't really matter much.

Dillon and Ziggy were sitting up late that night, united in their concern for Summer's wellbeing. Ziggy knew how much Dillon loved her, and he wished there was more he could do to make him feel better.

"You don't need to spend the whole night with me Ziggy." Dillon stated, seeing that the Green Ranger was on the verge of falling asleep. "I don't sleep remember."

"It's alright." He yawned, checking his watch and seeing that it was now 3 AM. "I kind of needed the company anyway."

Scott came back into the room, his expression one of disbelief.

"Guys, that was dad." He told them. "Sam and Flynn were involved in a battle at the other side of the dome. They're both in the hospital."


	4. Road to Recovery

Scott threw his car carelessly into the parking bay outside the hospital and rushed up to the check in desk. Colonel Truman was already there. He pulled off his sunglasses and caught his son as he skidded to a halt.

"Where are they?" He yelled in a barely coherent panic.

"Calm down Scott, they're in good hands." Colonel Truman said soothingly, trying to look into his eyes and calm him down. He knew that Scott had gotten close to Flynn since they had become Rangers. He knew how worried he would be about him, not just as a team member, but as a friend.

"Where are they dad?" He asked the Colonel rather coldly. Scott hadn't been especially close to his father for a while now, especially since his brother had died during the evacuation. He had shown little, if any real emotion when it happened.

He was so distraught and angry when he realised he would never see his brother again. The cruellest thing was that his plane crash landed well outside the dome. He couldn't even bury his own brother; all he had was a small inscription of his name on the plaque dedicated to the fallen outside the military base. It seemed so cheap and trivial a way to mark the passing of a life. His dad had attended the ceremony when they unveiled the plaque, but he left quickly afterwards to return to the command centre. He couldn't even take one day to mourn the passing of his oldest son, and more importantly to comfort the son he still had. It was something Scott could not see himself ever being able to forgive him for.

"Flynn's in intensive care." He informed his son quietly. "His Ranger suit protected him from most of the damage, but there was a lot of trauma. They say he'll be fine, but they're monitoring him closely for signs of internal bleeding. He's heavily sedated so he can get some rest."

"What about Sam?" Scott asked him. His father paused for a second. "Oh God, don't tell me..."

"She's still in surgery." He interrupted the Red Ranger. "Flynn tried to protect her; if he hadn't taken that hit she'd already be dead."

Scott looked to the ceiling as he tried to stop himself from crying. He liked Sam, she was a good friend, and he knew that Flynn loved her dearly. It was why he had risked his life to try and save her. He hated to think that she was hurt, but he knew it was going to be a lot worse for Flynn when he came round and found out.

"How is she?" He asked him. Colonel Truman shook his head.

"I don't know, she's been in surgery since she arrived." He told his son. "They haven't given me an update on her condition yet."

Scott just sat down on one of the chairs in the waiting area, and his father sat next to him as he waited for news on the condition of his friends. He hated to think of them suffering, and being unable to do anything to help them.

Back at the Garage, Summer got up during the night and made her way to the kitchen, finding Dillon there playing with a rubber ball, bouncing it off the floor and the wall as she came into the room. He looked up to her with a look of concern on his face.

"How did you sleep?" He asked her. "Did you have any more dreams?"

"The pills are working fine Dillon." She told him quietly. "I'm just glad to get a few hours sleep for once."

"How long is it until your appointment?" He asked her.

"I'm going to see the therapist in a couple of hours." She informed him as she opened the fridge and looked out some pancake mix. "Where is everybody?"

Dillon looked a little uneasy as she asked this. Because of her exhaustion, she had pretty much passed out the night beforehand once she was finally able to get some sleep without being woken by images of Ronan. They didn't want to disturb her during the first decent night's sleep she'd had since they found out how serious her problems were. Especially since her first appointment with a therapist was that morning.

"Summer, something happened to Flynn and Sam last night." He began as he came over to where she was beginning to make herself some pancakes. He caught her hand and stopped her pouring batter mixture as she heard him and seemed to freeze up. He stepped back a little and made sure she didn't feel trapped by him as he explained. "Sam was kidnapped and he went to rescue her. In the battle the building collapsed on them. They've been in the hospital overnight. Scott went to check on them."

"Why didn't you wake me?" She shrieked, looking into his eyes in horror. "We need to go, there! Are they alright?"

"Scott called during the night. Flynn's resting, but they say he should be fine. His Ranger suit took the worst of the damage. They're keeping him under observation."

"What about Sam?" Summer asked him hopefully. Dillon put a hand on her shoulder for support, still a little upset he couldn't even hold her in case she panicked again.

"I haven't heard anything." He told her honestly. "She went into surgery last night. I haven't heard anything since then."

"I have to go." Summer began in a gentle whimper. "I need to go, Flynn..."

"Flynn's being taken care of by the doctors." Dillon reminded her. "Scott's there with them."

"But I..."

"Summer, I know you care about them." Dillon told her with a comforting smile. "It's one of the things I love about you, but you need to see the therapist."

"Dillon, I still have the meds, I can see the therapist any time." She told him as her tears began. "They need my help..."

"There's nothing you can do for them right now. Until the doctors have finished with them, there's nothing any of us can do." He reminded her, gently cupping her cheek with his hand and wiping away a tear. "They need you to take care of yourself."

"But Dillon..."

"Summer, you need to stop putting yourself second." He interrupted her. "You're hurting too, you know you are. There's no shame in taking some time to recover."

He leant in, kissing her softly, raising a little smile from her. He looked into her eyes.

"You need to put yourself first for a change." He told her. "Go and see the therapist."

"Do you promise you'll let me know if there's any news?" She asked him.

"You know I will." He answered. "I love you."

"I love you too." She replied, turning her attention back to the pancake in the frying pan, which by now had caught fire. She switched off the cooker and quickly beat out the flames with a dish cloth. She wiped her eyes clear and grabbed her jacket.

"Maybe I'll just get something when I'm out." She suggested.

"That would probably be safest." He agreed. "Don't worry, I'll clean up here."

"Thanks Dillon." She responded. "For everything I mean. It means a lot that you're being so patient with me."

"I told you; the most important thing for me is that you get better." He reminded her. "I'll wait as long as you need. I love you."

"I love you too." She replied, smiling at him as she left. He quickly scraped what was left in the frying pan into the trash, and threw it into the sink before making his way back to the couch and settling back into the cushions. Ziggy arrived in the room, still yawning as he came from his bedroom.

"Is there any news?" He asked the Black Ranger. Dillon just shook his head.

"Not yet." Dillon responded. "Hopefully we'll know something soon."

Meanwhile, Tenaya 7 arrived back at Venjix's main headquarters, cradling her arm to her chest. She had suffered extensive damage to her systems, but nothing she wouldn't be able to repair given a couple of hours. In the meantime, she had accomplished her main objective. She had managed to bring down one of the Rangers. She had heard the emergency vehicles as she left, so she knew there was a chance he had survived, but given the condition he was in, he would not be at full strength for some time.

"I have taken care of the Blue Ranger." She stated to the computer console. The single red eye glowed more brightly as she relayed this news. "I took one of his loved ones hostage and lured him to the old foundry. He's taken care of."

"You have eliminated him?" Venjix asked her.

"He was alive when I left." She informed him. "I was damaged in the battle, and military personnel were on the way. I had no choice but to flee."

An energy blast from Venjix's robotic eye blasted her in the chest, sending her flying into a nearby bulkhead. She pulled herself back to her feet. She was enraged by the attack, but she knew that it was pointless to resist. She was not powerful enough to destroy Venjix when she was at full strength, let alone when she was in such dire need of repair. She sheepishly bowed her head in subservience to her master. She was lucky he hadn't hit her with a full force blast; he could easily have destroyed her.

"You are in need of drastic repair; this will waste many of my resources to bring you back to full function." It reminded her. "Yet in return you cannot even destroy one Ranger. Can you give me one reason why I should not recycle you and create more useful servants?"

Tenaya shook her head without another word. This was one of the things she despised. Venjix had created her from a human, and with human emotions to make her a more effective infiltration unit. Of course this also had the side effect of giving her many negative emotions. She hated her treatment any time she had to answer to Venjix for her failures. She felt her anger growing in her and festering in her chest whenever he threatened her with her destruction. She often wished she could destroy Venjix and be free of his oppression. Of course she would never be able to do so.

"Go to the regeneration zone for repairs." It boomed dismissively as the eye glowed brighter. "And you may want to consider how fortunate you are. Next time I may not be so...humane."

Tenaya turned and left with the little dignity she still had and made her way into the regeneration area. It had been constructed especially for her. Normally if one of Venjix's constructs malfunctioned or was damaged beyond being ready for battle, Venjix would simply liquidate it, harvest it for useful parts and melt down what's left to recycle it into something useful. Of course due to her unique structure, she was often repaired when she was damaged. She was a useful asset to Venjix, at least for the time being, and since so much of her systems, the biological components, could not be replaced with technological components, it was necessary to have a way to effect repairs.

It was a small room, maybe about 10 feet by 10 feet, with no windows and only one door. In the centre was a titanium steel chair much like a dentist's chair, with heavy restraints built into the arm rests and the leg stirrups. The back of the chair had many holes in it, behind which were an array of syringes and surgical tools. Mechanical tentacle-like arms were attached to the sides of the chair carrying more. In many ways, this was the closest thing she had to what normal humans would call a bedroom. In reality it was a combination between a hospital, repair shop, torture chamber and prison.

She took her place on the seat, placing her legs into the stirrups, before using her remaining functioning arm to place her broken one into the armrest. Putting her other arm into the arm rest, she sat back as the restraints closed, sealing her into the chair. Seeing the arms raising and moving around to begin their repairs, she closed her eyes and shut down all her non-essential systems and started to dream of the vengeance she would exact on the Rangers for this indignity. She barely even flinched as the first scalpel dug into her flesh painfully.

Back at the hospital, Scott got up off the chair as a surgeon finally left the Operating Room where they had now been working on Sam for most of the night. Unsurprisingly he looked exhausted as he pulled off his robe and his mask, dumping them in a nearby bin.

"She's stable." He told the Red Ranger, anticipating his question. "Right now that's all we can say. She's still in a highly critical condition."

"But she'll be alright won't she?" Scott asked him hopefully.

"It's still too early to tell, her injuries were extensive." The surgeon replied sadly. "She suffered a heavy blow to the head. She has a major concussion and has slipped into a coma. We'll need to wait until she wakes up until we know if she's lost any of her brain functions. Her legs were almost completely crushed and broken in several places. We've had to insert metal plates just to set them. Two of her ribs were broken and her left lung was punctured. We've managed to stop the internal bleeding and re-inflate the lung. She's also broken two vertebrae."

"She broke her back?" Scott asked him. "Will she be able to walk again?"

"We had to insert screws into the vertebrae and clean some bone fragments out of the spinal cord. The spinal cord hasn't been severed, but it will be a long time before her legs and her back are strong enough for her to begin rehab. It's all up to her, but it is possible that she will never fully recover the use of her legs." He told them. "I'm sorry."

"You've done all you can for her." Scott replied, wiping his eyes dry of tears. "Thank you."

At that point, another doctor arrived from down the hall, approaching Colonel Truman.

"Flynn has woken up." He informed them. "Would you like to see him?"

Colonel Truman looked at his son with a slight look of concern. This was a nightmare for both of them. Flynn had extensive injuries himself, but he had been unconscious since the attack. They knew the first thing he would do was ask about Sam's condition. It was up to them to tell him that right now, they didn't know whether she would survive. Even if she did, there were doubts as to whether or not she would make a full recovery.

"I'll talk to him." Scott stated, turning from his father. "He needs to know."

He arrived in Flynn's room a short time later, rounding the door slowly. He forced a smile as he approached his bedside.

"Hey there." He greeted the Blue Ranger. "How are you feeling?"

"I've definitely felt better." Flynn told him, pulling himself up painfully. "I've got bruises in places I'd forgotten about."

"Is anything broken?" Scott asked him.

"No, the suit took the worst of it." He replied with a smile, beginning to turn to get out of his bed. "I'm sure Dr. K will have a few words to say about the repairs she'll have had to make to my equipment though."

"Flynn, where do you think you're going?" Scott asked him. "You might not have broken anything but you still need to be seen by the doctor."

"I'm fine Scott." He told him. "I have some bruising, a few cuts, a minor concussion and a badly bruised ego. I'll live."

"Flynn, just try to get a little rest." Scott instructed him. "Psycho robot girl did just drop a building on you."

"Scott, I need to check on Sam." Flynn told him. "Get out of my way."

"Flynn, there's no point, they won't let you in." He stated. "She's on life support."

Flynn stopped on the edge of the bed and slumped down a little and stared at him. Fear filled his heart as he thought about her. He desperately wanted to see her, to know whether or not he had succeeded in protecting her.

"She's in a coma." Scott continued, sitting on the bed with him and putting his arm around his friend for comfort. He knew that he would hear this eventually, and he thought it was best that he hear it from a friend. "They're also not sure if she'll make a full recovery."

"What's wrong with her?" Flynn asked him. Scott breathed a sigh as he looked into Flynn's tear-filled eyes, preparing to tell him the hardest thing he'd ever had to say.

"There's a small possibility she may have permanent brain damage." He informed him. "She also has a lot of damage to her legs and her back. They said that she could recover in time with rehab, but it is possible she'll never walk again."

Flynn just buried his face in his hands and wept. He loved Sam so much; he had rushed off to face Tenaya 7 on his own. He couldn't let her come to harm if he could help it. Of course, now he had the chance to think about it in the cold light of day, he knew that was impossible. Tenaya had kidnapped her because she somehow knew that he and Sam were an item. She had restrained her, preventing her from leaving when the battle started, and she had deliberately brought the roof down, knowing that Sam was in there, and likely would not survive without any form of protection.

His heart broke as his thoughts strayed to her. There was no denying the fact that she was in this situation because of him. It was his fault that she got hurt.

"When can I see her?" Flynn asked him. Scott just held him closely. He could tell how badly this had shaken him.

"I don't know Flynn." He replied. "I'll have to ask the doctors, I just don't know."

"It's my fault Scott." He sobbed, pulling into a tight hug, weeping loudly. "If anything happens to her I'll never forgive myself."

Scott just held him and let him cry, unable to say anything. He wished there was something he could do for him, some way he could spare him this pain, but he knew that the only thing that would console him would be if Sam was alright. Of course, right now no one knew if that would be the case. Right now, Flynn was alone in his anguish, and there was nothing anyone could do to make him feel better.


	5. Treatment Begins

Summer sat in the waiting room of the therapist's office, fidgeting nervously. She didn't really like the idea of having to go through therapy, but she knew that she needed help if she was ever going to get over what Ronan had done to her.

She could only manage small, nervous glances over to the secretary sitting at her desk, sorting through her paperwork. She felt like everyone that looked at her as she came into the office was judging her, trying to figure out what kind of maniac she really was. As the secretary looked over to her, Summer quickly snapped her gaze away and began playing with her necklace nervously.

"Is it your first time?" The secretary asked her in a comforting tone, recognising the signs. Summer nodded, but was still unable to look at her. The secretary got up from her chair and made her way over to Summer, extending a hand.

"My name's Max." She introduced herself. "I hate Maxine. You don't need to worry; no one's going to judge you here."

"Summer." She replied, giving her hand a quick, weak shake.

"Would you like something to drink?" Max asked her. Summer nodded gently.

"Could I have some water?" She asked. Max made her way to the water cooler and poured her a cup.

"You know you really don't have to worry. There's nothing wrong with needing help." Max assured her. "Dr. Young is really nice."

"I'm sure he is." Summer mumbled as she took the cup from her. "I never thought I'd end up having to do something like this."

"Nobody does." Max replied. "I know I didn't."

Summer looked up at her, finally able to look at her as she heard this admission. Max was a lot taller than her, and incredibly skinny. She was wearing a pale blue business suit with a pink blouse. She had short blonde hair. She seemed to be a few years older than Summer.

"You had therapy?" Summer asked her. Max smiled at her and nodded.

"For a long time I had OCD." She informed the Yellow Ranger. "You don't need to worry; no one will judge you here."

At that point, a man entered the office. He was short, and a little paunch, but he had a kind, warm face and a certain air about him that was soothing. He wore a brown tweed suit with a white shirt, and a deep red tie with yellow ducks on it which looked completely out of place given the rest of his attire. He had faux horn-rimmed glasses that were quite thick, and thin, silver hair with a large bald patch at the crown topped his head. He gave Max a warm smile and came over to her, shaking her hand.

"Sorry I'm late; the kids took ages to get ready for school." He informed her. He turned to Summer and offered her a hand. "You must be my new client. I'm Dr. Young, but everyone calls me Cliff."

Summer couldn't help but smile at him. She had always thought of therapy as a daunting prospect. She wasn't used to opening up and telling people what she felt. Even before she joined the military, she had grown up around it, and had been a cadet from a young age. Being so close to Scott and Colonel Truman, she had grown up around military personnel, and had a very closed and strict outlook on the way she dealt with her feelings.

She had quite a masculine mindset and tended to bottle everything up and deal with it herself. She had always thought that admitting she needed help was a sign of weakness which she could ill afford. She was already on to a disadvantage in her career choice being a woman with many of her instructors and fellow recruits looking down on her. She had always kept her feelings private; a secret between her and the teddy bears she kept hidden from everyone else's prying eyes. Something about Dr. Young though just let her know that Max was right. He wasn't a stern man in an over-starched shirt with a judgemental gaze like she had always imagined when she thought of psychologists. If anything, he had a slight air of a kindly old grandfather or supermarket Santa Claus.

"I'm Summer." She responded.

"Feel free to step into my office." He said to her, gesturing to the door. She got up and made her way in, finding it a lot different than she was expecting.

She had a very stereotypical idea about what a psychologist's office would look like. A dark, oak-panelled room with deep red drapes and a high backed dark leather chair opposite a large, leather couch, but nothing like this.

His office was large, and decorated in light colours. There was indeed a couch, presumably for the patient to lie on, but it wasn't like she pictured. It was a modern design, bright red, and looked to be very comfortable.

"I know, you're thinking of the pictures of Freud's office in bad library books aren't you?" He asked her.

"I don't really know what I was expecting." She told him. "I guess I'm just nervous."

"Well that's natural, but this is a safe and secure environment." He informed her sincerely, gesturing for her to sit on the couch. "If you don't mind, I like to record my sessions to help me write my notes later."

Summer followed his hand to see that he was pointing at a video camera. She looked at him, a little unsure.

"Anything that happens in here is completely confidential. Any notes I take, any of my recordings, anything at all that happens in here. All of it is confidential." He said comfortingly. "The only thing that will leave this office is whatever you feel comfortable to tell people. You're safe here."

"Thanks." She replied, taking a seat. "So what are we going to do?"

"Well today we aren't going to anything too stressful. I just want to get a little background." He told her. "Why don't you just tell me a little about what's been happening?"

Summer settled into the cushions and thought long and hard about that. She had been running from what had happened for so long, she didn't know if she could face it. She had no idea where to begin.

"Take as long as you need." He instructed her. "Just begin when you feel comfortable."

Back at The Garage, Dillon and Ziggy were quietly playing cards to pass the time as they awaited word on their friends. Scott had called to let them know the latest about Sam and Flynn, so they were understandably upset already. They were just waiting now to hear when Flynn would be released.

"Call it." Ziggy told him, throwing a couple of credits onto the table. Dillon put down his cards.

"Ace high." He announced in an exasperated sigh. He really wasn't paying attention, or even caring much about the game. A fact that was evident from the amount of money Ziggy had already won from him. He pulled the stalk of his lollipop out of his mouth and flicked it into a trash can across the room before pulling out another and popping it into his mouth.

"Full house!" Ziggy announced happily, throwing down his cards and pulling the cash in towards himself. "You know if you keep this up, I'm going to own your car, your clothes, even that little watch of..."

"You will never get that watch Ziggy." Dillon interrupted him sharply. He crossed his feet on the table and continued sucking on the lollipop. "Anyway, you've won enough of my money. I'm getting a little bored now."

"Dude, I've got to ask, what's with all the lollipops?" Ziggy asked him. "I mean you must go through about a dozen of those a day."

"15 to be exact." He replied. "I learned a while ago that my bionics take a lot of energy. I can either eat a lot of sugar, or I can eat like 6000 calories a day. This way is easier."

"So why lollipops?" Ziggy asked him. "Why not pixie stix or sherbet or..."

"I don't know." Dillon replied with a shrug. "I just found a load of them in my car when I woke up three years ago. I guess I've just developed a taste for them."

Ziggy smiled, but felt a little badly about asking now. Although his tone was light, Dillon furrowed his brows a little any time he was reminded about a part of his life he had no memory of. He had since explained that he couldn't remember anything beyond three years previously. He explained that he had woken up in his car along with a few tools and no memory of who he was or where he'd been. He didn't even know his real name. He had taken the name "Dillon" from the brand name printed on the side of a power drill he had found in the trunk. As much as he always maintained an air of quiet confidence and indifference, Ziggy had surmised that it still deeply troubled him how little of his life he really knew. In a lot of ways he could understand. As much as there was a lot in his own life he would sooner forget, he couldn't imagine what it would be like to remember none of it.

"Is there any word on Flynn or Sam yet?" Dr. K asked them as she arrived from her lab. Despite no longer communicating with the Rangers through the computers from her secure lab on the third floor of the Ranger Headquarters, she still restricted how much contact she had with them. She would come down to explain their technology or run through mission briefings, but if she was lost in her research, as she regularly was, she would disappear into her lab.

"Flynn's just waiting on the all-clear and having his release forms signed." Ziggy answered her. "Sam's still in a coma on life support."

"Summer's not back from her therapy session yet." Dillon said a little coldly. "But I'll let her know you were so concerned, I'm sure she'll be flattered."

Ziggy just let out a low whistle and backed away discretely. He didn't even want to touch that one. Dillon and Dr. K had never really gotten along, not even after she had dropped the whole "Wizard of Oz" thing of speaking through the computers.

Just like Scott, Dillon rubbed her up the wrong way largely because he had a habit of doing things his own way and could be more than a little defiant when he didn't want to do something. In her case though, it seemed to be a lot deeper than a mere irritation at being disobeyed. It was like he deeply insulted her, or threw out of balance her existence whenever he didn't immediately fall in behind her. She seemed more than irritated, she seemed angry, almost enraged whenever anything didn't go according to her orders. Even Scott tended to follow her without much question.

Dr. K glared at him with her usual icy, emotionless stare.

"Summer's life wasn't in danger." She told him matter-of-factly. "I wish her well in her treatment, but she is able to function. She is..."

"Her life might not be in danger, but she's far from alright!" He roared, standing up so quickly his chair went flying. "She needs to take medication every night just so she can sleep without being tortured by the man who tried to rape her, had her sent to prison and blew his brains out all over her! She's seeing a therapist so that she doesn't suffer a complete breakdown!"

"All I was saying is that she is safe." Dr. K said, batting her eyes a few times. She was clearly a little taken aback by his outburst, but she still didn't seem to be overcome with any kind of empathy. "My concern..."

"Save it Doc!" He snapped turning on his heel and storming over to his car, and firing up the engines and speeding from the garage. Ziggy came out of the corner and approached Dr. K.

"I was only going to say that my concern for Flynn and Sam doesn't mean I don't want Summer to get better." She told him, gesturing after the Black Ranger.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much." Ziggy replied as he pulled on his jacket, making his way over to Flynn's hummer. "You know how much he cares about Summer. I'm sure he knows you care about her, he's just a little touchy right now."

"Where are you going?" She asked him as he opened the door to Flynn's hummer.

"I promised Ms. Foster that I'd stop by the orphanage for a little while today." He informed her. "Dillon said he'd drive me, but...well..."

"What if Venjix attacks?" She asked him.

"We all have our communicators." He reminded her. "We'll be there if we're needed."

"What about Summer?" She asked him. "Do you really think she'll have her communicator on?"

Ziggy let out a little sigh. He knew that Dr. K didn't mean to be insensitive; she just seemed to have a little trouble understanding others. She was far from a social creature.

"If Dillon comes back, can I recommend something?" Ziggy asked her.

"Of course." She replied.

"Just...don't talk." He advised her. After that, he started up the vehicle and pulled out of the garage. Dr. K just stared blankly after him uncertain as to what he meant. He knew what she said had upset Dillon because it sounded like she wasn't concerned about her condition. She just still didn't understand why it upset him that she reminded him her life wasn't in danger. Surely the most immediate danger to the team was Flynn's condition; it would weaken the team if he was rendered unable to fight.

Back at Venjix's headquarters, Tanaya's treatment was completed, and the restraints holding her into the chair sprung open, allowing her to rise. Her mechanical components had all been repaired. The injuries to her biological components were all but completely healed. Venjix regularly injected her with a serum that helped flesh, tissue, muscle; even bone knit and heal many times quicker.

The deepest cuts from her battle with Flynn, the ones on the arm she had broken, were little more than faint white scars, and she knew that even they would fade soon. The wound in her stomach that Sam had inflicted and later cauterised with a blowtorch had completely vanished. Completing her inspection, she changed her bodysuit, replacing it with a fresh one and putting the other one into a chamber for repair, before heading for the main chamber. The only reason Venjix would release her was if he had an assignment for her.

"Tanaya 7, I have intercepted some security footage that is of interest to me." He informed her as she arrived and stood in position. "One of the Rangers has shown a connection that may be exploited."

"What connection?" She asked him. Venjix generated an image of the footage for her to see.

"The Green Ranger." She commented as she saw Ziggy disembarking from Flynn's hummer and fetching a crate out of the back seat.

"He is at an orphanage in the Eastern Quadrant, he is alone." Venjix told her. "Go after him, and this time, do not come back until the task is complete. Destroy anyone and anything that gets in your way."

"I'll be there within half an hour." She responded, dropping her face shield. "The Green Ranger will be destroyed within the hour."

"You said that about the Blue Ranger." Venjix reminded her. "You are clear on your instructions?"

"If anyone gets in my way, I destroy them too." She replied.

Meanwhile at the orphanage, Ziggy held a crate with one hand while he rang the doorbell. After a while, the door opened and a grey-haired woman opened the door. Her face split into a huge, bright smile.

"You're late Ziggy." Ms. Foster told him, waving him in. "You said you'd be twenty minutes ago."

"Sorry, the guy who was giving me a ride let me down." He told her. "I had to borrow a friend's car. I don't drive as fast as Dillon."

"Well after taking five attempts to pass your driving test I'm not surprised you aren't confident driving." She chuckled. "Come on in, I'm sure the kids would love to see you."

Ziggy made his way through to the main play area, looking around with a warm smile. It had been quite a while since he had last actually gone to the orphanage, but he was glad to see that things had changed for the better. Many necessary repairs had been made, the entire house had been redecorated, and there seemed to be many new toys and resources for the kids.

When he had stolen the shipment of medical supplies for the kids, he had a considerable surplus left over once they were cured of Gamma Sickness. What the orphanage didn't need to heal the children, he managed to sell under the counter to a local hospital and forwarded the money to Ms. Foster. Obviously she had used those funds well.

"I see you've made some improvements." He commented, putting the crate down on the floor. He opened it, revealing numerous toys he had bought with the money he had won from Dillon. "It makes my gift seem a little redundant."

"You've given this place more than enough Ziggy." She told him.

"Well you've given me a lot too Ms. Foster." He replied.

"Please, call me Helen." She said with a warm laugh. "It's been a long time since you were one of the kids under my care."

"I guess old habits just die hard." He told her. "You never gave up on me, never even when I was with the Scorpion Cartel."

"You were just looking for a family." She stated, putting her arm around her. "You were just looking in the wrong place. I always knew you'd figure that out eventually. You always did have a good heart. I knew that even before you brought us the medical supplies."

"Thanks Helen." He responded. "It means a lot to me that you still care."

"I always did." She assured him. At that point, a few of the kids ran screaming into the building. One of the girls ran up to the Matron, hugging her legs for comfort, tears running down her face.

"Kelly what's wrong?" Helen asked her, disentangling the terrified youngster from her.

"There's a bad lady outside." She sobbed. "She has Charlie and Wendy. She said she'll hurt them if Ziggy doesn't go outside."

Ziggy's face went pale as he realised what was happening. Looking outside, he confirmed his suspicion as he saw Tanaya 7 standing outside, holding a young boy in her left hand, a little girl in her right, suspending them above the floor.

"Come out and face me Green Ranger." She yelled. "Otherwise the tiny humans will die."

"Keep the kids in here." He warned the Matron. "I'm going out there, lock the door as soon as I get outside and don't open the door for anything!"

"Ziggy you can't go out there!" Helen screamed.

"I have to Helen." He told her. "If I don't she'll kill them, and then she'll come in here after me. She won't care if she has to go through all the kids to get to me. This is the only way."

She hugged him warmly, a few tears beginning to form in her eyes. She had been the closest thing Ziggy had to a mother for most of his life. Like all the kids in her care, he was like a son to her.

"I'm so proud of you." She whispered. "Please be careful."

Ziggy nodded and left the building, ensuring Helen locked the door behind him. He came into the yard, standing before her.

"You got what you wanted. I'm here, now let them go."

Tanaya dropped the boy, who ran and hid behind a climbing frame a little way off. Tanaya pulled the frightened, sobbing girl in front of her and lifted her face-shield, staring at her in wonder.

"These tiny humans are curious creatures." She commented, her confusion obvious. "Are many humans this size?"

"They're kids Tanaya." He responded cautiously. "Humans aren't like machines. They aren't created at full size; they are born as children and grow into adults."

"So this little one will be an adult someday?" Tanaya asked him.

"She's scared Tanaya, put her down." He instructed her. "Please, I'm out here, you got what you wanted. These kids are no threat to you, just let her go."

Tanaya shrugged and set the little girl down on the ground, at which she ran screaming as fast as her little legs would carry her to the climbing frame to hide with the boy. Tanaya lowered her face shield.

"The Blue Ranger's down." She taunted him. "Now it's your turn."

"RPM Get in Gear!" Ziggy screamed as he prepared for battle.


	6. Ziggy's Battle

Flynn pulled himself painfully from his bed and hobbled down the corridor towards the intensive care wards.

He hated this. He hated the fact he was still up and about. Doctors kept telling him he needed to rest and that he should be in bed, but he couldn't help it. He could stand and he could walk so that was good enough for him. Other than that, he needed to know about her.

As he approached the room, he saw a couple of guards there, protecting her. One of them approached him and put a hand into his chest.

"Do you really want to try and stop me?" He asked them. "I'm bruised up, but I'm still more than able to hand you your arses."

They parted, allowing him to enter Sam's intensive care ward. He approached the bed slowly, taking a seat next to her.

"Sam, it's me." He began as he struggled to hold in his tears. "You need to wake up sweetheart."

He couldn't hold in his expectation at hoping she'd wake up. Of course fate was not that kind. She was in a coma.

"Honey it's me" He informed her. "Everything's working well out here; you don't have to pretend anymore. It's alright to want a day off."

He sat there, watching the monitors, hoping for some sign of life, but it didn't come.

"Sam, I'm sorry!" He sobbed as his tears overtook him. "I didn't want this for you!"

He sank his head into her abdomen and wept as the weight of his guilt crushed him slowly. He would happily take every inch of her pain into himself if he knew she would be alright. He was the one Tanaya wanted, he was the Ranger. It wasn't right that Sam was hurt because of him.

He heard a slight gurgle and looked up, seeing her eyes beginning to flutter open. His heart raced as he saw this. Sam reached up towards the mask, but he held her hands gently.

"You need that." He told her gently. "You've been through a lot."

A few tears began to fall down her face and she ripped her hands from his, pulling the mask off. Every breath hurt, and she was certain that he was coddling her to protect her from the truth of her condition.

"My legs hurt." She told him in hurried gasps. "They're broken aren't they?"

Flynn nodded sadly in response. He hated to see her like this, she was such a lively, energetic person that it just didn't seem right to see her lying in a sickbed like this.

"I can't move them." She sniffed as she looked at him, wordlessly begging him to tell her her suspicions weren't true. "It's my back isn't it? My back's been broken."

He wanted to lie to her, he wanted to tell her otherwise, but he couldn't. He loved her so much that he knew it didn't matter if he lied to her or not. She would see the truth in his eyes. He nodded in response.

"Your spinal cord hasn't been severed." He told her. "Two of your vertebrae were broken, but the spinal cord is intact."

Sam just clamped a hand over her eyes and wept. Hearing the truth didn't make it any easier to deal with.

"Sam, I'm sorry, I tried to save you." He told her warmly, holding her hand.

"You should have let me die!" She spat bitterly, ripping her hand away from him.

"Sam, I'm sorry this happened..."

"I know you are Flynn." She fold him comfortingly, caressing his hand softly with her hand. "What use am I now? I'm a cripple."

"Sam, you don't know that." Flynn told her, caressing her hand gently. "You can still feel your legs. Your spinal cord wasn't severed, you can recover with physiotherapy, you can..."

"Save the pep talk for someone who isn't a forensic scientist!" She snapped. "I'm a damn cripple and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it!"

"Sam, the doctors..."

"I don't give a good god damn what the doctors say!" She roared as her tears flowed a little more freely. "I'm never going to walk again!"

"Sam, you can't give up on this!" He pleaded with her as he stood over her, his own tears beginning to form in his eyes. "You have to try, you have to fight."

"What for Flynn? To be crippled for good by the next robot that comes after you? To be killed because I'm in love with you?" She snarled.

"Sam..."

"Get out!" She screamed, picking up a vase of flowers from her bedside table and launching it at his head, narrowly missing him.

Flynn stared at her, his lip quivering as he looked at her. She didn't need to blame him for what happened, he already blamed himself. He hated to see her this way. He turned and left without another word, feeling every inch of her pain in his heart ten times over. He wanted to be able to save her, to make everything alright, but he just couldn't. He heard his morpher bleeping and pulled it out, answering the call.

"What is it doc?" He asked as he wiped away some tears with his wrist.

"Flynn, you need to recover." Dr. K answered. "I paged everyone but..."

"I'm a grown man doc, I'll decide what I'm up to!" He snarled into the mouthpiece. "What is it?"

"Ranger Green..."

"Ziggy!" He corrected her a little too aggressively, his anger over Sam's condition getting the better of him. "His name's Ziggy!"

"Ziggy's involved in a battle with Tanaya 7 at the orphanage." She stammered, a little taken aback by this reaction from Flynn.

"Tell him I'm coming," he snapped in response, "and when I get there robo-bitch is going down hard!"

Ziggy was dashed aggressively to the ground by another hard attack. He had been fighting with Tanaya now for some time, but he was not faring well. He wasn't a fighter, not by a long chalk, he had always relied on Benny for that side of things when he worked for Fresno Bob. He only knew one thing; he needed to stop her going into the orphanage. Just like Bob, he knew that she wouldn't care who she hurt or what she did to them in pursuit of her objective. He had to stop her from going into the orphanage, even if it cost him his life. It was a small price to pay.

"Leave him alone!" A tiny voice screamed as a rock slammed into the side of Tanaya's head, breaking her face shield. "Stop hurting Ziggy!"

Ziggy watched in horror as Wendy, the young girl Tanaya had held hostage to get him to face her rushed out of her hiding place, throwing stones and screaming at her. Tanaya grabbed the young girl and lifted her up, glaring at her.

"Let her go!" Charlie screamed as he ran out of his hiding place, hitting her as hard as he could with a baseball bat. Tanaya turned and dumped Wendy on him, before approaching them menacingly.

She paused as she raised her hand to attack. She couldn't understand why, they attacked her, but somewhere deep inside her, there was something that stopped her from just destroying them. She couldn't even hurt them, it was just...wrong!

Ziggy snatched up his Turbo Axe and swung it wildly into her back, sending her flying through the air.

"You aren't going to hurt these kids!" He snapped at her. "Do what you want to me, but you can't hurt the kids!"

Tanaya pulled herself to her feet and looked at him with amazement. He was easily the weakest of the Rangers, but he had attacked her with a strength and ferocity she couldn't fathom.

"I'll be back another day Ranger!" She spat as she ran from the scene. Ziggy de-morphed, sinking to his knees with exhaustion as Charlie and Wendy rushed to him and hugged him tightly. Dillon's car skidded to a halt a little way from him, closely followed by Scott's.

"Ziggy, are you alright?" Dillon asked him as he rushed to his friend's side. Ziggy nodded weakly.

"She decided she had other things to do." He told him. Flynn ran into the courtyard, looking around frantically.

"Where is she?" He snapped.

"She's gone." Ziggy informed him. Flynn gave him a hateful glare and shoved Scott aside, hauling him up by the shirt.

"You let her get away?" He snarled as he held him closely. He rammed him against the wall of the orphanage. "You let her get away!"

"Snap out of it Flynn!" Dillon warned him, tearing them apart. "He did his best!"

"Well his best wasn't good enough!" Flynn responded bitterly. "That robotic psycho could be anywhere..."

His words were cut off as Dillon punched him in the face, dropping him like a sack of potatoes. Flynn looked up at him in amazement.

"We're all upset about what happened to you and Sam." He told him. "Blaming Ziggy isn't going to help."

Flynn looked over to Ziggy, noticing that he was still struggling to remain on his feet and finally realised how much he had given to protect the orphanage.

"Ziggy, I'm sorry." He muttered as he got to his feet and offered a hand to the Green Ranger. "I'm so messed up because of what happened to Sam...."

"It's OK, I understand." Ziggy assured him, shaking his hand. He jerked his head in the direction of the orphanage. "I don't know what I'd have done if anything had happened to the kids."

"I really mean it, I shouldn't have given you such a rough time." Flynn reiterated, putting his arm around Ziggy and helping him towards his hummer. "I'll even forgive you for taking my truck without asking."

"I'm glad to hear that." Ziggy told him. "I didn't think you would mind."

"You didn't think I would leave hospital you mean." He replied, slapping him playfully in the gut. "You're lucky I'm a forgiving guy. Normally I'd skin anyone that took my truck without asking."

His smile slipped and he looked to his feet, almost as if he had realised a great betrayal. In many ways he had, he remembered that Sam was lying in the hospital with her heart in pieces because of him.

"Flynn, what's wrong?" Ziggy asked him. The Scotsman sat on the steps outside the orphanage and shook his head sadly.

"It's my fault Ziggy, it's all my fault." He muttered sadly as his tears began. "Sam hates me, and she has every right to. She's probably going to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair because of me."

"You can't believe that Flynn, not for one second!" Ziggy stated, stroking his shoulders gently. "You didn't do this to her..."

"I may as well have broken her back myself!" He snapped. He looked up, hoping for some kind of divine intervention, but it wouldn't come. "She hates me."

"She's hurt." Ziggy reminded him. "You can't believe that she blames you for this."

"You didn't hear her Ziggy, she hates me." He muttered under his breath as he wiped his face with his wrist. "I can't blame her. I hate myself."

"Flynn, you did everything you could to save her." Ziggy told him. "You were almost killed."

"That's the problem." Flynn told him. "I ALMOST died."

"So this would have been better if you had died?" Ziggy asked him. Flynn nodded.

"Yes." He replied, looking at him with an honesty in his eyes that was a little scary. "Yes, it would have been better if I had died."

Tanaya arrived back at Venjix's headquarters, more than a little banged up from the Green Ranger's assault. She still didn't know why she hesitated during her battle with him. She only knew that it had something to do with the kids. She could remember seeing the boy wrapping his arms around the girl defensively.

She got an image in her head, it wasn't the children she saw at the orphanage, but it was similar. A boy was cradling a little girl defensively as he confronted their attacker.

"She's just a little kid!" He screamed as he held her face into his chest. "Don't hurt her! You can't hurt her!"

Tanaya shook her head and cleared her thoughts as she arrived in the main chamber. Venjix was waiting for her.

"You failed!" The computer stated.

"I could not do it." She told it. "There were children there and..."

"Silence!" Venjix announced, interrupting her. "You will regret this. Report to the regeneration room."

Tanaya made her way to her cell to be repaired and sat in the chair as the restraints fastened around her wrists and her ankles. A single tear leaked from her eye as she prepared for the injections to begin. She couldn't hurt the children, she just couldn't. Something inside her stopped her.

Her thoughts strayed back to the night she fought the Blue Ranger. She couldn't understand why, but she was thinking about the woman she had taken hostage to draw him out. When she scanned them to assess their condition, she had found the woman was in a bad way physically. She couldn't understand why she kept thinking about her, she had been nothing, merely bait, a bargaining chip to use against the Blue Ranger. The strange thing was that she was still thinking about her. There was just one more thing that bothered her. Those thoughts hurt.

She felt strangely uncomfortable about what had happened to the woman she had kidnapped. She knew that Venjix's ultimate goal was to destroy all human life, but for some reason she was affected by this woman's injury. It just felt wrong to hurt her in that way.

She felt the first needle sink deeply into her flesh and quickly passed out as the sedatives coursed through her biological systems. She still didn't understand why she couldn't attack the tiny humans.

Summer fidgeted on the couch as she finished what she was trying to tell Dr. Young. She couldn't believe she had revealed so much of herself to him. She never revealed much of herself to anyone. Even Scott, who was like a brother to her, didn't know everything about her.

"I just always felt like I was constantly trying to prove myself." She told him. "I always knew I'd have to work twice as hard to be taken half as seriously as all the guys but I prided myself on keeping pace." She looked to her therapist and laughed nervously.

"When Ronan attacked me I felt so weak. I couldn't believe that despite all my training I was so vulnerable." She continued. "I just knew everyone would say that they were right about me, that I couldn't handle it. Colonel Truman said he'd protect me, but I just felt like no one would respect me if they knew so I made him promise he wouldn't tell anyone."

"Well that's everything for today." He told her with a smile as he got up from his chair. "We'll continue next time, I think some hypnotherapy would be the right way to go."

"Hypnotherapy?" She asked with a slight note of panic in her voice. "You're going to hypnotise me?"

"Your problems are deep in your subconscious. That's why you keep bringing them back in your dreams." He told her. "The medication you're taking will block you from having dreams, but it isn't a long term solution. You need to face these problems, and the only way to do that is in your dreams."

"In my dreams?" Summer asked him a little sceptically. "So I'd be hypnotized and helpless and.."

"You're entirely safe here." Dr. Young reminded her, holding her hand gently. "Nothing will happen that you don't want to. You can end any session any time you want to."

"Thanks." She said as she chewed her fingernails nervously. "I really want to get through this."

He smiled at her and settled into his chair with a knowing grin on his face.

"This is about more than just the attack isn't it?" He asked her. "There's someone important in your life isn't there?"

Summer smiled as she thought about Dillon. She wanted nothing more than to be able to enjoy having him hold her. She loved him.

"There is a guy in my life." She told him. "His name's Dillon."

"Are you having problems with him?" Dr. Young asked. She nodded.

"I just can't let anyone hold me." She confessed. "Any time I feel someone's arms close around me, I just think of what Ronan did and I start to freak out. I just start lashing out and I attack."

"You don't want that do you?" Dr. Young asked her. Summer shook her head.

"I want to be able to enjoy a normal relationship, I really do." She told him. "I can't let him hold me, but I really want to. I know it hurts him when I pull away from him, but I can't help it."

"He's held you before, hasn't he?" Dr. Young asked her.

"He held me when he rode pillion on my bike." She told him. Dr. Young smiled and nodded.

"You were in control." He commented. "Have you ridden with him since you were released?"

"No." She told him honestly. "I've been so focused on trying to get over this."

"We'll begin your main treatment during your next visit." He stated. "Until then, I have one thing I want you to do. Go for a ride with Dillon."

"Excuse me?" She gasped as she stared at him.

"You feel comfortable with him and you trust him to touch you." He began the explaination. "You feel in control on the bike. It'll be a safe and comfortable environment in which someone can touch you."

"I don't know...."

"You aren't willing to try?" He asked her. "Not even for Dillon?"

Summer just nodded her head in understanding and stood up. She loved him dearly, and she wanted to take things further with him. It was just her damned brain that had the problems letting him in.

"I'll do it." She replied. "I need to get through this."

"For Dillon?" Dr. Young asked her. Summer looked at him and smiled, shaking her head slowly.

"No." She replied. "I need to do it for me."

Tanaya woke up from her latest procedure and the restraints opened allowing her to get up.

"You will now know the true cost of failure." Venjix told her. She felt like she had been punched hard in the back, and collapsed to the floor. She reached down, grabbing her legs. She couldn't feel them or move them.

"You are mine to control!" It told her. She felt another punch, and suddenly her face was on the floor. Her arms stopped responding to any of her commands. She couldn't move at all.

"You've told me a stark truth about yourself. You have a survival instinct." Venjix explained. "All I wonder is what will happen when my wishes and your survival instinct conflict? The fact is I couldn't trust you, that's why I gave you three new implants while you slept."

"Three?" Tanaya asked.

"One is in your lower spine, and will block any electrical impulses to your legs rendering you paraplegic if I activate it." He informed her. "The second is above your shoulders and will render you quadriplegic if it is activated."

"What about the third?" She asked as a tear leaked from her eye to the floor. She wasn't even able to wipe her eyes since she was completely paralysed. "What about the third implant?"

"It's on your heart." The computer stated. "I control your heart."

"I didn't lose because I'm weak!" She whimpered. "I did all I could..."

"But you valued your own life above my orders." Venjix reminded her as a couple of grinders came out of a side room and picked her up, positioning her back in the chair and restraining her.

"You are mine." Venjix reminded her.

Tanaya could do nothing but weep as she was imprisoned in her own body. She knew she had a life before the implants, she just couldn't remember it. Now though, Venjix had taken everything from her. Now she had nothing that was hers, not even her own body.


	7. Tanaya's Gift

Late that night, Scott was stirred out of his sleep as he heard someone moving downstairs. Despite having soundproof doors on their bedrooms, he had always been unable to sleep in completely silent environments, largely due to growing up on a military base where there was always a jet taking off, or a guard detail changing.

He pulled on his dressing gown and made his way to the door, and heard someone crashing around out in the main room. At first, he thought it was Dillon. Since the Black Ranger only shut down for a few minutes at a time and didn't really sleep, he often spent much of the night wandering around. As he heard a thickly accented voice swearing loudly, he realised he was wrong. It was Flynn.

He made his way downstairs, finding Flynn standing near a few overturned toolboxes. He had accidentally knocked them over as he reached into a cupboard. As the Red Ranger arrived beside him, he saw the Blue Ranger pulling out a bottle of whisky.

"That's your special stash." Scott commented as he put his hand on Flynn's shoulder. He knew that something had gone down between him and Sam at the hospital. He knew that she was still critically injured in the hospital, and they knew how serious her injuries were. Even if she did have the strength of heart to struggle through physiotherapy, it would be months before she would be able to walk again, and it was doubtful that she would completely recover.

"Lagavulin 18 year old single malt." Flynn stated, presenting the bottle to Scott. "Would you like some?"

Scott nodded and took the bottle off him, heading to the kitchen for a couple of glasses. He wasn't really a huge fan of whisky, but he knew that Flynn needed someone to talk to. He was understandably upset. They knew he had tried his best to save Sam from Tanaya 7's attack, but by the time the building collapsed, he had already used his time manipulation burst, and so he couldn't use it again. He had managed to save her from the worst of the damage, but he hadn't managed to completely shield her from falling debris. He blamed himself that he wasn't able to keep her safe. She had broken her back because he had failed. More than anything, Scott just wanted to talk with him and keep him calm.

As he sat with him by the table, he could see the many injuries he was still carrying. The Ranger exoskeleton had indeed done its job and taken the worst of the damage. Dr. K's computers were still running tests on it to ensure the repairs had been made and would hold up. His freshest injury was a heavily swollen cheekbone from where Dillon had punched him when he attacked Ziggy.

"How's the face?" Scott asked him. Flynn laughed a little as he cracked open the bottle and poured them both some whisky.

"I'm not getting any prettier." He laughed weakly. "How's Ziggy?"

"He'll be fine." Scott informed him. "He understands, you know that."

"That doesn't make me feel a whole lot better." Flynn sighed. "I lost it."

"This is good." Scott stated as he tried the whisky. "It's a lot smoother than some of the stuff you drink."

"I'd normally save it for a special occasion." He responded. "I just felt like having some tonight."

"I know you're upset about Sam..."

"I've ruined her life Scott." Flynn interrupted him. He looked to his feet and held his head sadly as he continued in a voice so weak that Scott could barely hear it. "It's over between us."

"Flynn, she's just upset." He replied sympathetically. "You did everything you could to save her. She's still alive because of you."

"She told me I should have let her die." Flynn recalled as he took a drink. "She hates me Scott, she told me to leave."

"Flynn, she's angry and she's upset. You have to give her time." Scott told him. "You love her."

"She doesn't want anything to do with me." Flynn responded. "I can't blame her for that. I've let her down."

"The only way you'll do that is if you give up on her." Scott assured him. "She might not want to see anyone right now, but you know this is going to be a long, hard road for her. She's going to need the help of people that care about her."

"How will she ever be able to forgive me?" Flynn asked him. "It's my fault she got hurt."

"Does that mean you're not allowed to be in a relationship?" Scott asked him incredulously. "You might want to tell Summer that. She's going through therapy, facing stuff I can't even imagine from her past for Dillon's sake. I know she's doing it for her own sake too, but you know as well as I do that the main reason she wants to face this is so she and Dillon can be together properly."

"That's different." Flynn muttered as he poured himself another glass.

"I don't see how it is." Scott responded, shaking his head. "Would you mind explaining to me what makes your situation so different?"

"Summer's a Ranger!" Flynn snapped at him, looking to his team leader. "Before that she was in the military. She knew the risks when she signed up for this, even before she met Dillon. Sam never asked for any of this. She didn't sign up for any of this."

"She knew what you did when she got together with you." Scott reminded him. "I don't know if she'll forgive you, I really hope for both of you that she can and that you can sort this out. The only thing is, either way she's going to need all the help she can get."

He sank his own drink, and got up from the table.

"You said you love her." He reminded the Blue Ranger. "If that's true, how will you forgive yourself if you walk away now? Even if it means that you'll only be friends, how could you live with yourself if you left her now?"

With that, he walked away, patting Flynn gently on the shoulder and leaving him to his thoughts. He hoped that his words had gotten through to him; he knew that Flynn would likely still feel awful about the situation they were in. He just hoped that he had given him enough to think about to make him realise that the only thing that was important now was Sam.

Meanwhile, at Venjix's headquarters, Tanaya 7 was still sitting in her chair, the restraints securing her hands and feet to it somewhat redundant considering the fact that she couldn't move as a result of Venjix's new implants.

She felt a tingling sensation in her fingers and looked down, finding them moving at her commands again. The implant in her upper spine had obviously been de-activated. She tried in vain to move her legs, but so far they still sat uselessly, as though they weren't even a part of her own body. The chair lurched forward and rolled out through the door into the main chamber, presenting her to the computer like a trophy.

"How are you enjoying the latest additions to your system?" It taunted her. Tanaya bit her tongue. Despite all the anger and pain within her, despite everything she wanted to say, she knew that it would be unwise to do so. He had activated the implants in her spine a few hours ago now, keeping her imprisoned within her own body. He had finally at least partly released her, allowing the feeling to return to her upper body. "I trust that now you will treat my orders more respectfully."

She nodded her head sheepishly, but gripped the arms of her chair as tightly as she could in her frustration over the impotence of her position.

She then felt the feeling returning to her legs, and it was like being released from a nightmare. She had never been so relieved at simply being able to move her own feet. She was still locked into the chair by her restraints, but now she had at least had the feeling returned to them.

"Is there something you wish to say?" Venjix asked her. Tanaya looked into her chest, barely able to contain her rage. This was humiliating, she knew exactly what this was, Venjix was making an example of her. Unlike his other minions, she had human emotions, and so it knew that she could feel humiliation.

"Thank you master." She muttered quietly, feeling her jaw tighten with her anger at being forced to thank her master for returning the use of her own body to her.

"Do not forget this." Venjix stated as her chair rolled back into the regeneration chamber. "I now control you completely."

This statement terrified Tanaya completely. Despite how horrifying it was to know that he could take away her ability to move her own body at will, there was one more terrifying prospect. The third implant, the one attached to her heart. As easily as turning on a light switch, Venjix could stop her heart from beating. As her chair arrived back in the regeneration chamber, the restraints sprang open, allowing her to get out of the chair.

Tanaya pulled herself to her feet, pacing shakily around the room as she got used to having the use of her legs back. She hated how much control Venjix had over her now. She had to get rid of these new implants, but there was no way she could do that herself. The only way was to somehow convince Venjix to remove them.

She made her way from the headquarters towards the city, hoping to find some way to ease her torment and work off some of the anger within her. She had an idea just where to begin.

Early the next morning, Summer and Dillon were getting some breakfast when Flynn came into the room. He took a seat with them and grabbed the fruit bowl, beginning to pick out his choice of fruit for his morning smoothie.

"Don't you want something a little more substantial?" Summer asked him. Flynn shook his head.

"I wanted to get to the hospital early." He informed them. "Sam's having some more tests done."

"Are you sure you're up to that?" Dillon asked him. "I know you were pretty upset last night."

"I'm still pretty upset, but Sam needs me right now." He told them.

"I'm really pleased to hear you say that." Summer said with a smile, handing him a peach. "I really hope things work out for the two of you."

"That means a lot Summer." He responded, taking the peach and cutting it open, removing the stone. "So how are you doing? I didn't see you after..."

His words tailed off a little. He knew that Summer had been a little self-conscious about going to therapy. He had known her for a while and he genuinely wanted to know how it had gone, but he felt a little awkward about asking her. Especially blurting it out openly like that. Summer smiled, she realised that he didn't mean anything by it. It was just like him to be so concerned about her feelings.

"It's ok to call it therapy." She told him. "I know I was self-conscious about it, but I'm going to have to be able to talk about it at some point. It went really well. Dr. Young talked to me for a long time last night. He made a lot of sense."

"Well I'm glad you're getting on well." He replied, blitzing the ingredients and pouring them into a glass. He threw the drink down quickly. "Anyway, I had a couple of drinks late last night. Would one of you mind giving me a lift to the hospital?"

Dillon looked at Summer a little apologetically. They had intended to go for a ride just as Dr. Young had suggested. Summer just nodded in understanding. Her boundary issues could wait; right now it was important that Flynn got to the hospital to see Sam.

"I'll take you." Dillon told him, picking up a couple of pieces of toast and leaning across to give Summer a gently peck on the cheek. "I promise I'll do it later."

"Thanks man." Flynn stated, gathering his jacket. "I really need this."

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Tanaya 7 took on a disguise and made her way through the halls, looking for Sam's room. She knew that the Rangers would show up here eventually. She made her way down the hall towards the intensive care ward.

She stood outside Sam's room as she realised that someone was in her room. She turned away and pretended to order a coffee from the nearby vending machine as they left her room.

She made her way over to the room, and went inside, finding Sam lying on the bed asleep. As she approached her bedside, ready to wait for the Rangers, she looked down on her. She didn't know why she still felt badly about the condition of the woman she had taken as a hostage. As she took a seat, the chair moved, almost causing her to fall. She leapt up quickly and turned to see that it was a wheelchair.

Her thoughts rushed back to being imprisoned in her regeneration chair, completely crippled and at Venjix's mercy. She felt something she never would have expected, tears were beginning to run down her face. She picked up the chart on the end of Sam's bed and looked at it, noting the doctor's findings. She had severe spinal damage. It was possible she would never walk again, and it was all down to her.

She looked down on the stricken woman and felt an unusual emotion she wanted to help her.

She grabbed the collar of her t-shirt nervously and pulled it down a little, noticing a slight, white mark on her chest and smiled.

As Dillon drove Flynn to the hospital, the Blue Ranger tried to find the strength within himself to face the woman he loved. It had only been the previous day that she had screamed at him and demanded that he leave her room and leave her alone. He hated to see her so hurt, but more than that, he hated to think that she blamed him for her plight. He already blamed himself.

He looked to Dillon, feeling a little regret. As much as they tried to hide it, he had noticed a little look between him and Summer that let him know that they had been intending to spend some time together. He knew that they would never tell him that, all of his friends were rallying around him in his time of need. He just wished he didn't keep messing things up for others while in the meantime.

"Look, I'm sorry if I messed things up for you and Summer." Flynn told him, causing Dillon to glance over briefly.

"You don't need to worry; we can get together any time." Dillon assured him. "I'm not planning on going anywhere."

"Well that's a big difference from when you first got here." Flynn reminded him. "I can remember you trying to get out a couple of times."

"I didn't know anything about myself; I didn't really have a reason to stay." Dillon told him. "I still don't know much, but I do know one thing. Summer's worth sticking around for."

Flynn smiled as he heard his team-mate say this. He hadn't trusted him at first, not least since he seemed to show an interest in Summer. Over time though, he had proven himself a few times, and Summer had shown a lot of strength in her will to survive the ordeal with Ronan and what it did to her, thanks in no small part to her growing feelings for him.

"How is that going?" He asked him.

"It's hard, but she's getting there." Dillon told him.

"I actually meant, you know, the two of you." Flynn said in clarification. "She seems happy."

"I'd like to think so." Dillon replied with a hint of a smile, thinking about the Yellow Ranger. "I'm feeling a lot better about things too. I wish I knew more about myself, but she seems to trust me."

"It doesn't matter to her." Flynn told him, feeling a little happier to hear that their situation seemed better now. "She knows enough about you."

"I hope so." Dillon told him as he shifted gear.

Sam woke up, blinking as she tried to focus. There was someone standing at the side of her bed. She could just about make out that it was a woman in her room, and she appeared to be performing some kind of procedure on her. There was a tube inserted into her left arm. Following the cable up, she realised that the other end was in the other woman's arm. She recoiled in horror as she recognised Tanaya's face. Tanaya leapt forward, grabbing her hand as she reached for the alarm button. She tore out the alarm switch, and placed a hand over Sam's mouth to stop her screaming.

"I know you have no reason to trust me, but I'm here to help you, I promise." She told her. "There is no need to scream."

Sam's eyes were full of terror, not that Tanaya could blame her. The last time they had met, she had almost killed the forensic scientist. She gently removed her hand from Sam's mouth when she was confident she wouldn't scream to alert the security staff. She knew that Sam would understand it would be a futile gesture anyway.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked her.

"Venjix regularly injects me with a serum that greatly increases the regeneration of my biological systems." Tanaya informed her. "I have had numerous such treatments recently. My bloodstream should still carry a significant level of the serum."

"You might not be a match." Sam told her, thinking about all the possible complications that could occur from such a transfusion. Flynn had told her that Tanaya was a cyborg, she wasn't sure about her biology anyway, never mind the possible complications that could occur from a transfusion anyway.

"My blood is O negative, the universal donor." Tanaya assured her. "I have no infections. You will be fine."

After the transfusion, Tanaya disconnected the tube from Sam's arm, and stopped the bleeding with a cotton bud, before placing a dressing over the small puncture wound. Sam couldn't explain it, but she already felt a lot stronger. Tanaya quickly tended to her own wound, before looking to Sam. She scanned Sam.

"I do not have enough serum in my bloodstream to heal you as efficiently as the serum itself, but your cellular regeneration is already increasing." Tanaya stated. "You will heal in time."

"Get away from her!" Flynn screamed as he arrived in the room, finding Tanaya standing over Sam. Flynn let out a huge yell and rushed her, dashing her to the floor. Tanaya threw him aside and made a dash for the door. Dillon tried to intercept her, but she managed to dodge around him quickly. She couldn't face another battle, not now. Not when she had done something that had made her feel better about what had happened in her previous battle.

"Let her go!" Sam called out to him as he and Flynn prepared to give chase. "She's gone."

"Sam, are you alright?" Flynn asked her, quickly coming to her bedside. "Did she hurt you?"

"No, she did exactly the opposite." Sam told him. "She helped me."

"She helped you?" Dillon asked her. "How?"

"She said Venjix has a serum which aids cellular regeneration. That's how she heals so quickly." She explained. "She said she had a lot of it in her bloodstream and she gave me a transfusion. She said it would help me heal faster."

"I'm getting a doctor to check her out." Dillon told the Blue Ranger. "You stay here and look after her."

He made his way out of the room, and down the hall in search of a doctor. All the while only one thought plagued his mind. Why would Tanaya help her?


	8. Understanding

Dillon waited outside the examination room, slowly sucking another lollipop as Flynn and the doctors tended to Sam. In the room, Flynn held her hand tightly as the doctors concluded their tests. He passed the chart to his colleague with a confused look in his eyes. The other doctor's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline with shock as she looked at the chart.

"What's the prognosis doctor?" Flynn asked him. "Was she lying?"

"I should say not." The male doctor told him. "Frankly I'd love to know what she did."

"She gave me a blood transfusion." Sam informed him in a slightly worried tone. "What did it do?"

"You said that she told you she's injected regularly with a serum that regenerates her tissue faster?" The doctor asked her. Sam nodded in response. "Well I'd love to know what's in it. Venjix's medical technology is light years beyond anything we have. Your cellular regeneration has accelerated exponentially."

"You mean she was telling the truth?" Flynn asked.

"Her surgery scars are already healed, and she only went in three days ago." He informed him. "The x-rays show that the bone in her vertebrae has already knitted to a tremendous degree. Her lung seems to be functioning at close to full functioning efficiency. I'd estimate she's exhibited the equivalent of about a month's healing since the infusion."

"That's not the most amazing part. The CAT scan shows that the serum even seems to affect brain and spinal cord tissue. Neither of those regenerates naturally." The other doctor told them. "We were always expecting you to show some level of limited function in your lower extremities, even after physiotherapy."

"Are you saying I should make a full recovery?" Sam asked them.

"Unfortunately your body has identified this serum as a foreign body and is fighting it." The male doctor informed her. "We already don't have enough of it in your system to harvest for study. We estimate that your body will be clear of it by the end of the day, but if your cellular regeneration continues at this rate, we estimate your recovery will have been accelerated by about six months."

"We'll need to test you at the end of the week, but if our hypothesis is correct, we should be able to get you into physiotherapy by then." The female doctor concluded. "It'll be like none of this ever happened. God only knows how quickly you'd have healed if she'd given you a straight shot of the serum."

Sam held her hands over her eyes and started to cry after hearing the true extent of the gift Tanaya 7 had given her. Flynn wrapped his arms around her and held her as she wept; feeling his own eyes beginning to tear up.

"Why did she help me?" Sam asked him. "Why did she do this for me?"

"I couldn't tell you, I really don't know." Flynn answered her, releasing her and looking deeply into her eyes. "I don't know why she did it, but I don't really care. All I care about is that you're going to be alright."

"Flynn, I'm so sorry." She sobbed as she looked into his eyes. "I can't believe you came back. I was a complete bitch to you before..."

"You were upset when you found out about your back, I understand that." He told her. "I came back to tell you that I don't care if you hate me, I was going to stick by you. I was going to help you, no matter what."

"You were coming back? Even after everything I said to you?" She asked him. Flynn smiled at her and gave out a small laugh. "You wanted to help me, even after I nearly put that vase through your head?"

"If I thought it would have helped, I wouldn't have bothered ducking." He assured her. "You mean the world to me. I don't know if you've noticed this, but I love you to bits."

"I really am sorry." She told him. "I was just so frightened and angry and..."

Flynn cut her off with a long, soft kiss, releasing her and looking into her eyes as he gently stroked her hair.

"I understand." He told her. "I love you so much, I felt terrible about what happened."

He held her cheek warmly and sat on the edge of the bed as he tried to find the words to say the next part. He truly did love her, he cared about her more than anything, but she had already been targeted once because of him and it had almost cost her dearly.

"I know you didn't sign up for any of this superhero stuff." He sighed as his heart ached. "This all happened because of your relationship with me. If we stay together you could be hurt again, or worse..."

"OK, if you don't want me to get seriously annoyed and hit you stop that talk right now!" She warned him with a serious expression on her face. "If you haven't noticed, there's an army of robots out there that want to destroy every living thing in this city. I could be hurt or killed if I was sitting in my apartment watching television!"

"But..."

"I know you don't want this to end, and I sure as hell don't either." Sam interrupted him before he could argue. "Don't you think I'm the one that should make the decision what risks I want to take?"

Flynn smiled at her as he heard this. It was one of Sam's strong moments that he loved so much about her. When she stood firm on something, there was no way she could be argued with.

"I don't have a choice in this do I?" He asked her.

"Of course you don't." She replied with a grin. "Besides, I love you in that Spandex."

"I'll not tell Dr. K you called the suits Spandex." He chuckled as he drew closer. "I love you Sam."

"I love you too." She replied as they drew into another kiss. She had given him something he could never have hoped for. She hadn't forgiven him for what happened to her, it was better than that. She didn't even blame him for it, she had just accepted that it was a risk that would always exist in their relationship, and it was a risk she was willing to take.

Since she couldn't go for the ride with Dillon she had wanted to, Summer had opted instead to go with Ziggy as he went back to the orphanage to check up on Helen and the kids there. They arrived to find Helen outside the orphanage with a large, balding man in a dark suit, much like the one Ziggy had been wearing when she first met him, though he was considerably more presentable, and seemed to be used to wearing it.

"He's from the Scorpion Cartel." Summer stated as they arrived. Ziggy saw her noticeably tense up, and grabbed her shoulder.

"It's cool, Fresno Bob always sends two people for protection payments." He told her. "Benny, what are you doing here?"

"I heard about the attack on the orphanage the other day and I came to check it out." The huge mobster informed him as he shook Ziggy's hand. "It's great to see you again little guy."

Ziggy was almost pulled from his feet by his friend's powerful handshake, but he was happy to see him again. Back when he first entered the Scorpion Cartel, Fresno Bob had assigned Benny to show him the ropes, and the big guy had taken him under his wing. It was painfully obvious from day one that he was completely unsuited to the role he was assigned, but Benny quickly took a liking to him.

"Summer, it's alright; Benny's a friend of mine." He assured the Yellow Ranger. "He occasionally swings by here to keep an eye on the place for me."

Ziggy liked Benny, he was like the older brother he'd never had. The two had become close during their time as debt collectors, and Ziggy had talked to him at length about his childhood growing up in an orphanage. When they had to make collections from Helen's orphanage, they always made sure they were careful not to cause any damage, or hurt anyone. Benny kept up that habit out of respect for his friend. Before he helped Ziggy to leave the city, Ziggy had asked Benny to keep an eye on the orphanage for him just to make sure everything was alright.

"There doesn't seem to be any damage to the building." He told the Green Ranger as they went inside; to make sure they weren't seen together. So far Fresno Bob still didn't know what Ziggy had done with the shipment of medical supplies, or of Benny's involvement in Ziggy's escape from the city. As long as that was the case, they knew the orphanage was safe. The Cartels couldn't really target Ziggy now. Given his role as a Ranger, he was much too visible. Even if they managed to get the drop on him and attack him before he was able to use his powers, it would bring down a huge fallout from the military that would lead to their destruction. Benny and the orphanage were a different matter though. If Benny was found out, his life was almost certain to be in danger, and the orphanage would be at risk.

"This is the guy Dr. K was talking about?" Summer asked him as they arrived in the kitchen. "He's the one that got you out of the city?"

"Benny, I'd like you to meet Summer. Summer, this is Benny." Ziggy introduced them. The huge gangster shook her hand a lot more gently than he did with Ziggy. "He's one of my best friends."

Summer looked at him a little tentatively as he released her hand. Although Ziggy trusted him, he was still in the Cartel. He was still a criminal, a fact she had a little trouble with.

"I hope you're all treating Ziggy right." Benny said to her. "He was easily the worst gangster that ever lived, but also easily one of the best men I've ever met."

"I would agree with that." Helen said as she came into the room. "How are you Ziggy?"

"I'm still a little sore after the fight the other day, but I'll be fine." He told her as she ruffled his hair playfully. "How are the kids?"

"They were a little shaken, but a dose of ice cream all round always cures that." She replied. "I remember it used to always work for you."

"You looked after Ziggy?" Summer asked her as she realised what she had said.

"I ran an orphanage before I came to Corinth." Helen responded, thinking about happier times before Venjix had seized control. "Ziggy was one of the children in my care."

Ziggy looked up at her and nodded. He hadn't told any of the others that he had grown up in an orphanage. He had always kept that to himself. He didn't want anyone to know how truly lonely he had been. He had always craved a family, a place where he belonged, where he would get that unconditional acceptance and love that he saw all the other families share.

"I never knew my parents." He told her honestly as Summer sat at the table with them. "It's all rather clichéd, but I was found on the doorstep. I don't know anything about them, not even if they're still alive."

"I'm sorry Ziggy." Summer whispered gently, taking his hand gently. She'd experienced her fair share of problems in her life, but she'd always had others to love her. Her own family, Col. Truman, Scott and later Flynn had always been there for her. For the first time, she realised, just why Ziggy was so irritatingly enthusiastic about joining the group and fitting in. He was desperate to find somewhere he belonged.

"It's alright; I know I can be a little full-on when I find a new group of friends. I just always wanted to fit in." He admitted. "That's why I ended up with the Scorpion Cartel. I knew what I was doing was wrong, I hated the thought of hurting people, but Fresno Bob was the first one that accepted me."

Helen let out a little cough, at which Ziggy just looked a little apologetic.

"You know what I mean Helen. As much as I loved it when you looked after me, I always knew deep down that it was your job to do that. He accepted me without having to."

"I guess anyone could end up taking a few wrong turns when they had a start in life like that." Summer said, looking to her team-mate again.

"It's alright; I know I made a few mistakes." He stated. "I like to think I've started to make amends though."

"Well this place would have fallen apart if it wasn't for you." Helen chipped in. "Anyone can make mistakes. Not many people would risk their life to do the right thing."

"Well I'll let you know how you could thank me." Ziggy told her with a cheeky smile. "I'm still a little bruised up from the fight..."

"Mint choc chip's still your favourite flavour right?" Helen asked him, pre-empting the request. "How about you Benny?"

"I'm trying to cut down, but thanks for the offer." He replied as he got up to leave. "Fresno Bob will be wondering where I am. I'll be around next week."

"You know the kids always love it when you visit." She stated. "I'll see you next week."

She then turned to Summer.

"So how about you? Would you like some ice cream?" She asked.

"That would be great." Summer responded, smiling at the Green Ranger. "Thanks a lot Ms. Foster."

"Please, call me Helen." She replied as she left the room.

"Listen Summer, I haven't told the guys about any of this." He told her a little sheepishly. "Would you mind if we keep this on the DL?"

"I doubt they would think any less of you, I know I don't," she answered him warmly, "but if that's what you want, they won't find out anything from me."

"Well, here you are Ziggy." Helen chirped as she arrived with a couple of bowls of ice cream, setting one down in front of each of the Rangers. "You deserve it."

"Thanks Helen." He called after her as she left. Summer just took a mouthful without saying another word, and smiled to herself. She could see the deep bond between them in the way he spoke to her and the way she spoke to him. She felt good to know that Ziggy had someone like that in his life, and that he could leave the mistakes of his past behind him with her. It was then more than ever that she realised she could see Ziggy as being so much more than just the jumpy, goofy little guy that followed Dillon and the others around like an irritating little brother. He was the man that cared so much for his surrogate mother and the children under her care that he had faced all five of the Cartels for them. He was a man that deserved respect.

Back at the garage, Scott looked around, making sure none of his team mates were still in the building. He didn't often get the chance to be alone here; the Garage wasn't exactly a huge place. He knew that Flynn had gone to see Sam, and so he was unlikely to be back for quite some time. Dillon and Summer had said something about going for a ride, and he knew how Summer could get when she became lost in the middle of a high-speed ride through the streets of Corinth. Ziggy had only said he was going out. He didn't really know where Ziggy went when he went on one of his mysterious trips "out", and in truth he didn't really care. All that mattered was that he was finally alone.

He made his way down to the main room, took one last look around, and reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, pulling out a disk.

It had been quite a while now since he had been sent out of Corinth to retrieve the reactor from his brother's plane, but he could still recall that day vividly. He could remember every memory of the fateful day they were both shot down coming back to him as he approached the twisted, charred wreckage of the plane.

While he was there, he noticed a red envelope on the ground. It had been addressed to his dad, it was the one in which he had sealed his recommendation. He had always wanted to know what he had said in that report. He had thought about opening it, but his sense of duty had been stronger than his curiosity and so he had instead just taken it to give to his father. He picked up the reactor as was his mission, when something else caught his attention. The cockpit of the plane was almost completely intact.

He approached it with a little hesitation. It was all that was left in a recognisable condition of the plane. The glass from the cockpit was covered in soot and blacked out. He got to the side of the plane and pulled open a service hatch, allowing him access to the flight recorder.

Back in the present, he put the disk into the computer to play it. He had given the reactor to Dr. K as had been his mission, and he had given the letter to his father as had been his brother's intention. His father still hadn't told him what the letter had said. He figured that was because he didn't want to hurt his feelings by telling him his brother didn't have faith in him to lead a squadron.

Hitting the play button, Scott sat back and listened to the disk. He hadn't given the flight recorder to his father. He hadn't even told him he had retrieved it. He had listened to it now just about any time he had time to himself in the hopes he would hear something he hadn't noticed before now, something that would explain what had happened, how the great Marcus Truman had managed to become overwhelmed by Venjix drones.

A tear ran down his face as he heard his brother's voice, once again hearing the last transmission Eagle 1 had ever made.


	9. Moving On

After leaving the orphanage, Summer made her way towards the high school. Spending time with Ziggy and the kids at the orphanage had been a lot of fun, and she felt a lot more at ease than she had in quite a while, though it had also given her an epiphany. She had yet to see Jennifer again and apologise to her.

She still felt guilty about the way she had yelled at her the last time she had seen her. Because of the nightmares, she hadn't been sleeping well and her mental state had been badly affected. When she told Jennifer about the dreams, her former cell mate had advised her to get help.

Of course because of her pride, Summer had refused, and had taken Jennifer's genuine concern for her welfare as an insult. She thought that seeking professional help would be a sign of weakness, and she hated to think that Jennifer thought of her as helpless. Of course since then she had accepted the fact that she really did need help getting over what Ronan had done to her. She could finally see that Jennifer had only been trying to look out for her, and that she had treated her unfairly.

As she arrived outside the school, she saw Jennifer sitting out in the quad with her lunch, and made her way over. She knew that Jennifer always ate her lunch outside. Being claustrophobic, she was unable to stay in the cafeteria while it was full of students. Her panic would get the better of her, and so she opted instead to bring lunch with her or go for take-out. Summer approached the tiny librarian, giving a little cough to attract her attention.

"What have you got today?" Summer asked her.

"Grilled chicken and mayo sub." She answered. "You're looking a lot better than the last time I saw you."

"Can I sit down?" Summer asked her. The woman formerly known as Mouse just shrugged and gestured to a space next to her, inviting Summer to take a seat. Summer sat down and breathed a little sigh.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry." Summer told her. "I know you were just looking out for me. I shouldn't have shouted at you."

She looked to her friend apologetically and smiled.

"You were right, I did need help. I'm seeing a therapist now." She continued.

"You are?" Jennifer asked in response.

"It became pretty clear that my problems were worse than I thought." Summer confessed. "At first I was scared to sleep, I kept seeing him when I did, so I started using pills to keep me awake. Then I started to become confused and disorientated because I was so tired all the time, that's what was wrong with me when I was here the last time."

"You were pretty out of it." Jennifer agreed. "You were barely able to keep your eyes open."

"Well after that, I realised that I needed to sleep, but I was still afraid, I knew I'd only be able to sleep for a couple of hours before I saw him again, so I decided to get a little extra help. I took some sleeping pills to help me." She continued, recalling what happened. "I had another nightmare and started screaming. Ziggy came to see what the noise was and shook me awake. I was still so out of it because of the meds and I was still scared because of the nightmare. I was so confused and afraid that I thought Ziggy was Ronan and I attacked him. My friends had to restrain me to stop me from strangling him to death. After that, I realised that I couldn't beat this thing on my own."

"You don't have to try and deal with everything on your own." Jennifer reminded her. "Your friends will help you. Didn't you learn that from the prison?"

"I know I should have just trusted them but I was so stubborn and scared and...I really thought I could deal with it myself. I just didn't want them to think they needed to rescue me all the time." She replied. "I didn't want Dillon to think I needed to be saved."

Jennifer gave her a little grin and shoved her playfully.

"You mean Mr tall dark and brooding?" She teased the Yellow Ranger. "In case you haven't noticed, he kind of likes rescuing you, and by the way you brighten up when you see him, I'm beginning to think you kind of like being rescued by him."

"I just want more from our relationship than that." Summer told her. "I want to have a normal, healthy relationship, not a saviour that keeps running to the rescue. I just don't want Dillon to wake up one day and wonder why the hell he's going out with the girl he needs to be rescued all the time."

"Summer, you are easily your own harshest critic." Jennifer stated as she gulped down a mouthful of her sandwich. "You need to stop being so hard on yourself. You need time to come to terms with this. I'm sure Dillon understands that."

"Speaking of which, I should really be getting back." Summer responded, getting up to leave. "I really am sorry."

"It's ok, I understand." Jennifer replied. "Just...don't give up on this."

"I won't Mouse." She responded. "See you around."

Back at the Garage, Scott had barely finished listening to the flight recorder when Dillon's car came roaring back into the main garage. He quickly ejected the disk and concealed it in his inside pocket as they got out of the car.

"Hey Flynn." He greeted him, making sure he dried his eyes before he got close enough for them to notice that he had been crying. He still got upset every time he heard Marcus' voice on the disk. "How's Sam?"

"If the doctors are right she'll be starting physiotherapy next week." Flynn said in an unusually cheerful voice. Not that any of the others could blame him, but he had been in very low spirits since Sam had been injured.

"What?" Scott asked him a little surprised. "Next week?"

"Apparently our favourite cybernetic psychopath paid her a little visit and injected her with something that's helping her heal faster." Flynn explained. "The doctors have said she's taken months off her recovery time, and she should make a full recovery."

"Wait, Tanaya 7 helped Sam?" Scott asked him with a little disbelief in his voice. "Why would she do that?"

"We don't know." Dillon answered. "Right now all we can do is not look a gift horse in the mouth and concentrate on preparing for Venjix's next attack."

"Well that should be easier on one account." Dr. K announced as she came down the stairs from her lab. "The series Blue exoskeleton has passed its tests with flying colours. The repairs are complete."

"It looks like the Blue guy's back in business boys!" Flynn declared cheerfully.

"Good, we can use all the help we can get." Scott replied. "I'll be in my room, call me if you need anything."

"So, fancy a game of pool to pass the time?" Flynn asked.

"Actually I was hoping we could go for that ride you promised me." Summer said softly as she arrived in the garage. She bit her lip a little nervously, looking into his eyes hopefully. Dillon gave her a little smile before turning back to the Blue Ranger.

"Sorry Flynn, I'll have to take a rain check." He told him. Flynn just shrugged.

"Hey, you can play me anytime." Flynn replied. "You two have fun."

Summer pulled on her crash helmet as she sat astride her motorcycle, taking a grip on the handle bars. Dillon finished putting on his own helmet and took his place on the bike behind her. As he put his hands around her waist, Summer felt the nerves creeping up in her. It wasn't the same as the other times she had panicked about being held. She could still feel a little discomfort creeping up in her, but she was able to push past it. Just as Dr. Young had suggested, it was an environment she was comfortable in. She was holding the handle bars, she was in control.

She started the engine, and took a deep breath to clear her mind, before pulling back on the throttle and peeling out of the Garage. She still wasn't completely comfortable, but she was able to try.

Flynn watched them go, and turned to Dr. K.

"So how about you doc? Would you like a game?" He asked her.

"I don't play." She told him curtly, before heading back up towards her lab.

"You don't play pool?" He asked her.

"I don't play games." She responded as she disappeared into her lab. Flynn just let out a sigh as he realised that was on his own.

"I guess I have been meaning to change the oil on my truck." He sighed, picking up his tool kit.

Meanwhile, Tanaya was wandering around the city of Corinth in disguise. She had been wandering now for some time, unable to bring herself to return to headquarters after her act of kindness.

She still didn't understand why she had been feeling badly about Sam. All she knew was that after performing the transfusion, she had felt considerably better about things.

She had been having several peculiar feelings recently. Some of them were becoming a little troubling now. She had been curious about the personal relationships people formed ever since she had kidnapped Sam in the first place. She had explained that she would have preferred to die than see the Blue Ranger being destroyed. She still didn't understand this strange concept of love. She didn't understand what could be stronger than the will to survive. She still didn't understand, even after she had kissed Sam. Apparently there was more to this than merely physical contact.

She also had curious feelings when she had attacked the Green Ranger, she couldn't stop thinking about the children.

The image of the little girl she had held hostage to encourage the Green Ranger to leave the orphanage still crossed her mind. She could still hear the noise she made, the pathetic, frightened little whimper, and she could see the tears running down her face. It had caused a strange tight, uneasy feeling in her chest. It just seemed wrong to harm her.

She still couldn't understand where these humans got their bravery though. Despite her obvious fear, the little girl had thrown a rock at her when she was beating the Green Ranger. It didn't make sense; he was clearly overmatched by her, even with his powers. The tiny girl was nowhere near a match for her, to attack her made no sense, and yet she had. When she grabbed her, the other child had attacked her too. There was something strangely admirable about these creatures, whenever they were threatened, they would come to each other's aid.

She remembered rounding on the two children, and feeling that same tightness in her chest returning. Even though they had attacked her, there was a part of her that just wouldn't allow her to attack them. There was something about the thought of harming them that seemed to disgust her.

She stopped by a playground as she realised that there were more children here. They were running around, laughing and playing. They seemed to be enjoying themselves. Watching a little boy playing catch with a man, presumably his father, she couldn't help but smile.

The boy missed one catch, and the ball flew towards her. Tanaya caught it as it came within reach. The little boy ran over to her and held out his hand.

"Can I have the ball?" He asked her. Tanaya found something curious, the child was not afraid of her. He wasn't screaming, he wasn't crying, he was...smiling. She gave the ball a soft throw which he caught, before turning and running back to resume the game with his father.

Her smile then slipped as a thought came to her. She didn't want to harm the children. She felt badly about harming Sam because she had done nothing to her. It was then that she came to the realisation that in truth she didn't have any real desire to harm humans at all. She didn't even know why she was supposed to destroy them. If anything, she couldn't think of any reason why she would. Unfortunately though, that was not her decision to make. Venjix wanted to destroy every living thing on the planet, and the aggressive virus had her completely at its mercy. Like it or not, she would have to destroy them.

She looked around as she heard the distinctive sound of Grinders advancing on the playground. People screamed and tried to run as they attacked. Seeing one of the grinders about to bring its weapon down in a destructive arc on a terrified, screaming child, she found herself attacking the Grinder, destroying the machine with dismissive ease.

"Get out of here." She instructed the child. An adult grabbed the little boy and ran away as Tanaya fought more of the machines. She knew that this was not a wise move, a conclusion that was quickly confirmed as her legs gave way under her and she fell to the ground. Venjix had activated the implant on her lower spine.

She tried to pull herself up, but she quickly lost the use of her arms as the second implant was activated. She lay on the ground, completely helpless as the Grinders advanced on the remaining children.

The roar of a motorcycle heralded the arrival of the Yellow and Black Rangers. Leaping from the bike, they plunged into battle against the robots, allowing the citizens a chance to escape. She saw a couple of Grinders make their way over to her, grabbing her and picking her up off the ground. As they turned to leave the battlefield, she figured that they had been given new orders by Venjix, to return his property, her, to the headquarters.

Dillon and Summer finished off what was left of the Grinders, finding the time to catch their breath.

"It looks like all the citizens got away." Summer stated, coming to Dillon's side. "It doesn't look like anyone was hurt."

"It's lucky we were in the area." He replied as he ran a hand through his hair. "Anyway, how about we get back to base?"

"I think that would be a good idea." Summer agreed, grabbing her helmet. "If Venjix managed to send Grinders into the city, we might not have to wait too long before we see an Attack Bot."

Dillon pulled on his own helmet, and took his place on the pillion as Summer fired up the engine. She pulled back on the throttle, throwing it back onto the road and speeding towards The Garage.

Back at Venjix's headquarters, the Grinders dragged Tanaya 7 back into the main chamber, presenting her to the computer. One of them grabbed her hair, pulling her head up and forcing her to look at the computer's electronic eye.

"You attacked my Grinders!" Venjix boomed in its emotionless, monotone voice.

"The people at that park are no threat to you." She said in response, unable to do anything about her current predicament. "The Rangers are your enemy..."

"ALL humans are my enemies!" Venjix interrupted her. "I will eradicate all life from this planet."

Tanaya didn't say anything. She knew that it was pointless to try and protest.

"You have not yet learned your place. Perhaps I should simply destroy you." Venjix suggested. "Of course then I would be denying myself a valuable resource. No, I shall send you into the city again, but first I need to think of a suitable target for you to attack. Until then, I will give you a little quiet time to reflect on your lack of loyalty."

Her chair rolled into the room, and the Grinders placed her into it, before the restraints snapped shut around her wrists and ankles.

"Since pain does not seem to curb your insubordinate attitude, perhaps a different approach is needed." Venjix suggested as a helmet was lowered from the ceiling by a mechanical claw. One of the Grinders took it, and approached her. "This is a sensory isolation unit. The implants stop you feeling anything below your neck when activated. While wearing this, your remaining senses will experience no stimulation."

The Grinder approached her, opening the unit and placing it over her head. As it was snapped shut, panic claimed her. Venjix had not lied when it described the unit. She could feel nothing. No sights, no sounds, no smells, no touch, she felt nothing. It was like the darkness of oblivion, only she was still conscious to experience it. She tried to scream, but she couldn't, the helmet wouldn't let her. She would be held in this hellish limbo until Venjix found a use for her. She knew her mind would not hold out forever, she had only just been sealed into the unit, and she was already desperate for any form of stimulation. Sorrow and fear filled her heart as she thought of what Venjix might force her to do. Obviously the intention was to break her, to force her to bend to its will and destroy her own. Whatever Venjix had planned for her, it was sure to be an atrocity, one she was sure she would never be able to forget.


	10. Hypnotherapy Session 1

Summer entered Dr. Young's office for her latest session. She was a little more nervous this time around. He had told her that they would be starting hypnotherapy today. She had been terrified of her dreams for so long now that the thought of facing them was not something she was looking forward to.

"Good afternoon Summer." Dr. Young greeted her, gesturing for her to take a seat on the couch. "How have things been since our last appointment?"

"Things have been alright I guess." She replied with a quick shrug as she hung up her jacket and took a seat. "I went for that ride with Dillon you suggested."

"How did that work out?" He asked her as he closed the door to secure them some privacy.

"Not as well as I hoped." She sighed. The note of disappointment in her voice was obvious. She really wanted this to work; she wanted to be able to get closer. "I was able to let him hold me, I didn't pull away from him like I usually do, but it still felt a lot more awkward and uncomfortable than I'd like."

"You can't rush this Summer, you still have quite a bit to work through." He reminded her. "It's still early days, you should be happy that you at least managed that small step."

Summer gave him a weak smile as she fidgeted nervously with her necklace. She knew that he was right, she had made progress, she was just frustrated that things were not moving as quickly as she'd like.

"So you said we were going to start hypnotherapy sessions today." Summer stated. "What's involved? Are we going to talk about my dreams?"

"Not yet, firstly I'd like to talk a little bit about your family life." He told her. "I need to get a better idea of what made you the person you are now before I start to tackle what these dreams mean."

"But I know what the dreams mean, the dreams are about Ronan." She protested. "That's my problem; I'm scared of someone taking advantage of me like that..."

"I don't know about that, I'd just like to get a little background." He told her. "Would you like some water before we begin?"

"That would be good thanks." She replied. Dr. Young poured her a cup from the water cooler and handed it to her. Summer took a sip and set it down on the table by the couch.

"I'd like you to lie down on the couch and try to relax." He instructed her. "Just close your eyes and take a few deep breaths."

Summer did as she was told, lying back on the comfortable sofa and began breathing deeply. She followed the soothing tone of his voice as he started to put her under.

"You are completely safe in this environment. Nothing you remember, nothing you see can hurt you here." He reminded her as he started a metronome swinging, causing the slow, rhythmical ticking from it, drawing her consciousness from the room. "If anything upsets you or frightens you, if you feel uncomfortable at all at any time all you have to do is ask, and we'll end the session. Do you understand?" He asked her. Summer nodded to indicate that she understood.

"Why don't you tell me about your earliest family memory?" He suggested. "What's the earliest memory you have?"

"I'm about five, maybe six years old. I'm playing with my dolls house in the living room." She said, describing the scene as she recalled it. "I'm playing with the nanny's kids. Mom and dad are busy, so the nanny's watching me."

"What are their names?" He asked her. Summer smiled as she remembered her childhood friends.

"The nanny's name was Mrs. Kitchner. Her kids were called Freddy and Julie." She answered. "Mom didn't like me calling the servants by their first names, but I spent a lot of time with Freddy and Julie. They were about the same age as me."

"How do you feel about them?" He asked her.

"Julie was my best friend almost since I was born. Freddy was a little older than us." Summer told him. "I spent almost all my time with them."

"Why do you remember this day in particular?" He asked her. "What was special about this day?"

"I was playing with the others when I hurt myself. The doll's house was so big I needed to stand on a stool to reach the top floor." She recalled as she thought about it. "I fell and hurt my head. I started crying, I just wanted mom and dad to make me feel better, so I ran into the other room to tell them what had happened. When I got there, they were screaming at each other. I'd never seen them fight before; they didn't even notice I was there. They both seemed so angry, I was scared. I begged them to stop yelling."

"What did they do?" He asked her.

"Dad shouted Mrs. Kitchner through from the other room and yelled at her. He told her it was her job to look after me and he sent me away." She recalled. "They never even asked me what was wrong. They just sent me and Mrs. Kitchner away. I only wanted them to make me feel better!"

"How did that make you feel?" He asked her.

"I felt really lonely." She admitted. "Mom and dad never spent much time with me, but that was the first time I could remember them ignoring me. Mrs. Kitchner cleaned up the cut on my forehead and got me some ice cream. She told me that sometimes grown-ups shouted at each other. I knew she was trying to make me feel better, but I'd heard people yelling before. This was different. It was like they hated each other."

"Did they?" He asked her. Summer let out a small whimper, barely able to snatch a couple of breaths, before answering.

"I don't know. I think maybe they loved each other once, but that day I couldn't help looking at them differently." She continued. "I noticed them arguing more and more. They tried to hide it, but I listened at the door a few times. I quickly learned that any time they went into my dad's office it was so I wouldn't hear them arguing. They argued pretty much all the time, and I hated it. Mrs. Kitchner used to see the way I'd watch them go into his office, and she'd always give me a hug and tell me everything would be alright, but it didn't stop me hating it every time I saw them go into his office."

"Your parent's argued a lot?" He asked her. Summer nodded to confirm this.

"Yes. They argued all the time." She told him. "I used to see Mrs. Kitchner hugging her kids all the time. I was always so jealous when I saw that. Mom and dad never encouraged public displays of affection. They always said it wasn't becoming of a Landsdown. I didn't care though; I just wanted us to be like Mrs. Kitchner and her kids. They seemed so much happier than us; I really wanted us to be like that."

Dr. Young could tell that this was bringing up a lot of unpleasant feelings for her, some that she probably never expressed or dealt with consciously. Much of this probably festered in her for years without her really being able to talk about it. This was one of the reasons he favoured hypnotherapy as a form of treatment. It made people a lot more receptive to opening up about long-buried feelings. He thought that he might be getting close to the limit though, it was obviously causing her some level of distress, and he knew she might be close to calling an end to the session if she became too upset.

"You said you enjoyed your time with Mrs. Kitchner and the kids." He began, in an attempt to bring her back to happier thoughts from that time in her life. "How close were you?"

"Julie was my best friend until I was 10 years old." She informed the therapist. "I talked to her about everything. Freddy was the first boy I ever trusted, he was always really sweet and kind to me."

"What about Mrs. Kitchner?" He asked her.

"She was always really nice to me; she treated me almost like one of her own kids." She told him. "I loved spending time with them; she really made me feel good about myself."

"You said they were your friends until you were 10." He asked her. "What happened?"

"Dad sent Mrs. Kitchner and her kids away." Summer replied. "They moved out of the house, dad got really angry and he fired her."

She whimpered a little and a few tears came down her face.

"I'd heard him scream at mom before, but this was completely different. He went totally berserk! He started breaking things and he screamed at her like she'd done something terrible." She sniffed, recalling the scene. "I was so frightened; I thought he was going to hurt her. I begged him to stop screaming, but that just seemed to make him angrier. He told her that she was never to come to the house again and had Andrews, the butler, throw her stuff into the drive way. She and her kids left the house after that. I never saw them again."

"What happened between them?" Dr. Young asked. "Why was your dad so angry?"

"I'd like to stop." She murmured weakly.

"Are you sure?" He asked her. "It's your session; I can end it whenever you feel you can't go on."

Summer nodded her head weakly and sniffed back another tear. It was getting too much for her remembering what had happened before.

"It's too hard, it hurts too much. Please, I'd like to stop." She begged him. Dr. Young placed a hand warmly on her shoulder, and started the metronome ticking again.

"Follow the sound of my voice." He instructed her. "You are in my office, this is a safe place. When I count to three, I'd like you to wake up, and take a minute to compose yourself. 1...2...3!"

Summer opened her eyes and sat up slowly on the couch, wiping a couple of tears away from her eyes. Dr. Young picked up the cup from the table next to her and handed it to her as she composed herself.

"I haven't thought about them in years." Summer told him. "I tried to get my dad to reconsider..."

"It's alright. It's best not to try and force these things." He reminded her. "We'll have time in our next session."

Summer nodded her head in understanding and went to the coat hook, gathering her jacket. She paused for a second by the door.

"Is there something else I can help you with?" He asked her. Summer looked at him a little curiously for a while.

"Am I insane?" She asked him.

"I discourage that term." He replied empathetically.

"Then what's wrong with me?" She asked him.

"It's too early for me to start throwing around labels." He responded. "Make an appointment for next week with Maxie before you leave. I'll see you then."

"What about Dillon?" She asked him. "Last week you wanted me to go riding with him. Is there something else you want me to do?"

"He's really important to you isn't he?" Dr. Young asked her. Summer nodded, and he could see from the look in her eyes exactly how important he was to her.

"Try not to rush things. If you feel up to it, maybe you could try going for another ride on your motorcycle." He replied. "Other than that, I would say you should be proud of yourself for your progress."

"But it doesn't feel like I've accomplished anything." Summer responded in an exasperated tone.

"You've made a start." Dr. Young assured her. "I'll see you next week."

Summer threw on her jacket and left his office, stopping by Maxie's desk.

"Dr. Young wants me to make another appointment." She muttered. The secretary got out the date book and checked it for an available slot.

"I have the same time next week." She replied. Summer just mumbled something. Maxie wrote in the appointment.

"You need to be patient. I know that's the hardest part." Maxie told her as she put the appointment book back in her desk drawer. "I know it was one of the most frustrating things when I was a patient. I just wanted him to tell me something that would make everything alright. I swear I felt like slapping him any time he told me that it doesn't work that way. I can tell you one thing though. It does get easier eventually."

"Thanks." Summer responded quietly as she left. She was still frustrated by how little progress she seemed to make. She knew Maxie and Dr. Young were trying to help, trying to make her feel better, but it just felt like she was barely making any progress at all. People just kept telling her she could only help herself, but she had chickened out when she was barely getting started. She was so angry at herself for not being able to continue. If she was going to get through this, she needed to push herself harder.

Meanwhile at the Venjix headquarters, Tanaya breathed a sigh of relief as the sensory deprivation helmet was removed. Light hurt her eyes after being kept in the dark for so long, but even the painful burning sensation was a relief from the darkness. The mechanical clanking of machinery may as well have been a perfectly tuned orchestra, and the pungent scent of machine oil was like a beautiful perfume. After being stuck in the hellish living death of simply experiencing nothing, any sensation was a wonderful experience.

"Did you enjoy your little bit of quiet time?" Venjix asked her.

"You can go to hell!" She snapped in response.

"In case you forgot, I control you." Venjix reminded her as a Grinder came over to her and sliced her neatly across the right cheek with its weapon, causing blood to begin running down her face. She felt the warm, wet sensation leaking down her face and glared at the machine hatefully.

"I have decided what is to be your assignment." Venjix stated, drawing her attention back to the supercomputer, main data bank. "I will send you to attack the orphanage."

"The Power Rangers will defend it." She reminded Venjix. "It will draw all of them out, but their power is too great. I will not be able to destroy them by myself..."

"That is why your mission is not to destroy the Rangers." Venjix interrupted her. "It is to destroy the orphanage."

"That makes no sense; the orphanage is not a military target." She reminded it as one of the Grinders put on her visor and dropped it over her face. "There is no tactical value in destroying it..."

"You destroyed my Grinders for attacking children. It appears you have a soft spot for them." Venjix interrupted her with a slightly sinister tone to its voice. "Perhaps destroying the little ones will destroy that irritating little piece of humanity left in your heart. Maybe then such things will not bother you any further."

"You can't be serious!" She shrieked.

"I am always serious." The computer assured her. "You are to go to the orphanage and raze it to the ground."

She felt the implants being deactivated and the restraints on her chair sprang open, allowing her to stand.

"One of my loyal servants will be monitoring your every move. If you do not follow my orders completely, your life will be terminated." Venjix told her. "I want you to slay every living thing in that building."

"No!" She yelled. "Master, I beg you to reconsider, I'll do anything..."

"You will do anything, because you already know what will happen if you do not." Venjix interrupted her. "Remember, I will monitor your every move. Either the orphanage is destroyed, or you will be."

Tanaya bowed her head in defeat and left the room, making her way towards the city. She knew that Venjix would destroy her, and that it would not be a quick or merciful end. Thinking about the last time she had been at the orphanage, and the fight at the playground, she knew that she couldn't do it. She couldn't harm the children, regardless of what would happen to her, but if she just turned back now, she would only end up back in sensory isolation, or destroyed on the spot.

She formed a new plan as she entered the city, taking the only way out she could. Venjix would not allow her to destroy herself, and she could not refuse the mission. There was only one other option. She activated a frequency in her communicator that she knew the Rangers used. They would now be able to see and hear everything she did. They would know where she was going and would intercept her. She wouldn't be able to harm the orphanage if she was engaged in battle with the Rangers.

A tear leaked down her face as she marched to the inevitable conclusion to her plan. If she could not destroy herself, and Venjix would not grant her a quick and merciful destruction, then perhaps the Rangers would.


	11. Tanaya's Last Battle?

Scott was in the main room of the garage, once more listening to the flight recording from Marcus' plane. He had now listened to it dozens of times, but he still was no wiser as to what had happened to him. He was by far the most gifted pilot on Eagle Squadron; there was no way he should have been outmanoeuvred by mere Venjix drones.

He listened intently to the recording. Some of the communication had reached his own plane, but obviously his communications relay had become damaged, and so the message had cut off. His flight recorder had functioned for a while after the communications were down though, that was what he was listening for. The missing information, the information that never made it back to the base.

"This is Eagle 1's final communication. I'm going down, I'm going down!" He announced. Sounds of the battle raging in the background brought back all the memories of that day. He could almost feel every blast causing his plane to jolt and pitch as he listened to the communication. "I've been hit, my thrusters are down...Eagle 2, bug out!"

That part of the communication had been lost to him. He had become separated from the rest of the unit, and so he wasn't at the tail of the formation as he had been instructed. He had done everything he could to get back into formation.

"Scott, I need you to get back to Dad, I need you to take care of him in case I don't make it." He continued. "I love you both."

He then heard some mechanical clunks, and Marcus' voice screaming with an uncharacteristic panic.

"Shit! The ejector seat misfired. Negative fire on my ejector seat!" He screamed. "Scott, get out of here! You and dad are in danger...

He then heard another blast, and the recorder cut out after that. He couldn't even hear the last thing his brother had said. He had been trying to warn him that he and his father were in danger, but that was hardly news. They were under heavy attack by the forces of Venjix. They'd had to retreat into what essentially was a cage, albeit a large and highly advanced one, but they had been forced to become prisoners on their own planet.

He still didn't know what he hoped to gain from the recording, he only wanted answers. He only wanted to know what exactly had happened to his brother. At that point his morpher bleeped. Wiping away a couple of tears, he answered it.

"What's happening?" He asked.

"Tanaya's going back to the orphanage; it looks like Venjix isn't done with the kids just yet." Ziggy told him. "Dillon's giving me a ride. Summer's heading over from the therapist's office and Flynn's right behind us. We should be there in ten minutes."

"I'm on my way." Scott replied, gathering his jacket and firing up his car. "Let's just hope she doesn't do too much damage while we're getting there."

"That's the odd thing; she won't be there for about ten minutes." Flynn chipped in over the communicator. "We'll probably be there before she arrives."

"So how did you know she was going to the orphanage?" Scott asked him.

"Her communicator's on one of the frequencies we use." Flynn told him. "Dr. K's been able to see and hear every move she's made since she entered the city."

"So she's been broadcasting us her every move since she was sent to the orphanage?" Scott asked. "Why would she do that?"

Tanaya 7 made her way towards the orphanage, dreading the battle ahead. She knew that by now the Rangers would know where she was heading, and would be well on their way to intercept her. She couldn't refuse to carry out Venjix's orders, but she couldn't bring herself to carry out the terrible order either. She had been sent to destroy the orphanage and kill all of the children. She would sooner face her destruction than complete her assignment. Of course she also knew that she would only end up in Venjix's clutches again if she simply refused. She would never be free; the only way she could ensure she would never be sent on such missions again would be if she was destroyed.

She already knew that she would not be allowed to flee the battle, Venjix had her under surveillance. One of its other servants was following her to ensure its orders were carried out; the only way she could be stopped was by something that neither she nor Venjix could control. She had already resigned herself to the fact this was a suicide mission. The Rangers would destroy her, they had to.

She arrived at the orphanage, finding Flynn, Dillon and Ziggy already waiting for her.

"Turn back Tanaya; we aren't going to let you harm these kids." Ziggy warned her.

"I have my orders." She responded, drawing into a guard.

"We don't have to do this." Flynn told her as he tried to reason with their opponent. "We don't want to harm you, but we will if we have to."

"You don't want to harm me?" Tanaya asked him. "Why not?"

"I still owe you for what you did for Sam." He answered honestly. "She's going to be fine. It'll be a while, but she's going to make a full recovery."

"Why did you do it?" Dillon asked her, catching the faintest hint of a smile from her. "You have nothing to gain by helping Sam."

"Why do you want to destroy the kids now?" Ziggy asked her. "Why did you help Sam, and then come here for the kids? It doesn't make sense."

As she was about to answer, she felt a sharp, burning pain in her chest as though it was caught in a vice and collapsed to her knees, screaming. She struggled back to her feet, checking the scan from her visor. There was an attack bot, wearing some kind of console on its right forearm hidden a short way off. It had obviously activated the implant on her heart on a minimal power level to remind her of her task.

"What's happening to her?" Ziggy yelled as they watched her struggling. Tanaya was finally released from her torment as they approached. She pulled back to get some space as they approached. "It looks like she was in pain."

"Enough talk!" She snarled as she threw herself into the attack. The Rangers scattered to avoid her first attack.

"It looks like we have no choice." Flynn stated, pulling out his morpher.

"RPM, Get in Gear!" They called out together as they morphed into Ranger form.

Meanwhile, Scott was racing over towards the orphanage, still puzzled as to why exactly Tanaya was broadcasting the details of her intentions to the Rangers. Something just didn't seem right about the way this attack had gone down. She was not stupid; she had to know that she was broadcasting. Why would she want them to know what she was doing?

As he raced to the scene, he started adjusting his own communicator's frequency. Tanaya was on their frequency, but she was broadcasting, not receiving. She wasn't hearing their communications, the only way that would make sense is if she wanted them to know what she was doing, but wanted to keep their plans under wraps. Perhaps he could turn the tables. If he could find the frequency she was receiving, then perhaps he could hear what Venjix was telling her and figure out what she wanted.

Back at the scene of the battle, Ziggy was sent flying by a hard attack, hitting the climbing frame with frightening force. Tanaya saw that he was stunned and instead turned to one of her other opponents rather than press the advantage. She felt her legs give out under her as the implant on her lower spine was activated.

"What happened? I didn't even touch her!" Flynn called out as she rolled on the ground.

The feeling returned to her legs and crawled back to her feet. A voice sounded in her communicator.

"The Green Ranger was helpless. You should have destroyed him." The attack bot sneered at her.

"The Blue Ranger was too close; I had to divert my attention." She responded.

"Now instead of two Rangers, you still have three to contend with." It stated. "You know if I didn't know any better, I would start to wonder if you wanted to win."

"Of course I want to win; I do have a survival instinct." Tanaya hissed angrily as she dodged an attack from the Blue Ranger and sent him spinning to the floor with a hard kick. "Now if you don't mind, I have a battle to contend with."

"Remember what will happen if you fail." The attack bot stated menacingly. "If you really do have a survival instinct..."

"I know what you'll do to me if I fail!" She snarled. "Not just let me handle this!"

She renewed her attack with an increased vigour. So far the Rangers had been holding back, if they were going to destroy her, then she would have to force their hand. Little did she know that Scott had already heard every word the attack bot had said to her.

Dillon fired a blast into her chest from his Rocket Blaster, sending her flying into the side of a building. Scott arrived on the scene, quickly morphing and joining the others.

"Guys, I figured out why she's attacking the orphanage." He told them. "She was communicating with another attack bot in the area; it seems to have some kind of hold over her. He was threatening her."

"What could Venjix possibly threaten her with?" Dillon asked. "We've fought her before, it's not like she's helpless."

"Wait, think about it Dillon, she was holding her chest when she collapsed before." Ziggy reminded him. "Then later she collapsed, and Flynn told us that she never touched her."

"Are we fighting, or are we having a discussion?" Tanaya asked them as she mopped some blood from her lower lip.

"Why do you want to fight Tanaya?" Ziggy asked her. "Why do you want us to fight you?"

"I am here to destroy the orphanage." She told them. "You got in my way, and so we must fight!"

"That's a crock of shit Tanaya and you know it!" Ziggy confronted her. "You led us here. If you wanted to destroy the orphanage, you wouldn't have let us know you were coming. By the time we arrived here you would have already started."

"Shut up!" She screamed, hoping that the attack bot wouldn't hear. "You don't know anything..."

"I know that there's another robot in the area that's got some kind of hold over you." Ziggy interrupted her. "You don't want to harm these children, you set this up deliberately. You wanted us to stop you. You want us to destroy you."

"Don't be ridiculous!" She sneered in a slight panic as she realised that the Green Ranger had finally figured out what this was all about. "I am loyal to Venjix..."

"Then prove me wrong." Ziggy said, gesturing to the others to lower their weapons. Tanaya watched in horror as he stepped aside, leaving the path to the orphanage clear. "We're not in your way."

What was he doing? The Green Ranger had a deep emotional attachment to the orphanage; she knew that from the way he fought her before. If he knew her assignment was to destroy it, then why would he step aside?

"My orders are to kill every inhabitant of that building." She warned him. "Their blood will be on your hands..."

"You aren't getting out of it that easily." Ziggy cut her off. "There's only one person that can make the decision to attack that orphanage."

"You don't understand..."

"We aren't going to destroy you Tanaya." Ziggy told her, drawing a few uncertain looks from the others. He had to admit being more than a little nervous at this moment. If he was wrong, then he was putting the closest thing he had to family in danger. He could see how conflicted Tanaya was by the way she shuffled uneasily. "It's your decision Tanaya."

"Destroy me!" She screeched. "I do not wish to harm the young ones, but I don't have a choice! I'll be..."

All of a sudden, the pain in her chest returned, so much more acutely than before. She collapsed to the ground, curling into a ball as her heart burned, threatening to explode with the agony.

"What's wrong with her?" Flynn asked.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say she was having a heart attack!" Ziggy replied, rushing to her side. "I'm going to try and help you."

"You can't help me, it's better this way." Tanaya grunted as she felt herself beginning to slip away. "Leave me."

"It's a shame we had to lose a valuable asset." The attack bot stated as it stepped out from its hiding place. "At least when I'm finished with this battle I can take her and harvest her implants for recycling."

It was close to seven feet tall, with a smooth, shiny robotic body. Its head had only a small, narrow vision slit, which glowed a deep crimson. There was a black console of some description mounted on its right arm.

Ziggy held Tanaya closely as her heart caused her agony, trying to ease her pain. Summer arrived on the scene, skidding to a halt a short way from the others and morphing, before joining the others. She looked over to where Ziggy was standing protectively over Tanaya's prone form.

"What's going on here?" She asked them. "Why is Ziggy protecting her?"

"I'll explain when we're finished with this walking flashlight." Scott told her. "Right guys, let's do this!"

Dr. K was monitoring the battle from her work station back at the lab, trying to get a bearing on the battle at hand.

"Ranger Green, why are you not assisting the others?" Dr. K asked him. "The attack bot should be your primary concern."

"Dr. K we have a casualty down here." He told her. "I'm bringing her in."

"This isn't a hospital Ziggy." Dr. K snapped a little coldly. "Let the medical services deal with her."

"This isn't a typical casualty doc; we need your expertise on this one." Ziggy responded. "If you don't help her she's going to die."

Dr. K looked up from her desk as she heard the garage door open, and Scott's car sped into the room. Ziggy got out and crossed over to the passenger's side, picking up Tanaya's unconscious form and lifting her out.

"This is your casualty?" She asked a little incredulously.

"We have to help her, Venjix is harming her somehow." He told her. "Can you help her?"

"I have a blaster right here." She told him, reaching for a drawer. Ziggy reached forward, holding the drawer shut.

"I want you to help her, not kill her!" He screamed. "Please, she's going to die."

"That would be a bad thing because..."

"Doc, she didn't want to attack the orphanage. I gave her the opportunity to do it and she refused, even though she knew Venjix would destroy her." He explained. "Please, we have to help her. She helped Sam. We owe her that much."

Dr. K just groaned as she realised that she wouldn't be able to argue with him. One of his most annoying habits was the fact that he couldn't be argued with if he believed he was doing the right thing.

"Take her to my work bench." She instructed him. "I'll see what I can do."

Back at the site of the battle, the Rangers were dealing with the attack bot. Dillon kept it busy while the other three assembled the Road Blaster.

"Dillon, get out of there!" Scott called out. "We're ready. Engine Cell, activate!"

Dillon leapt aside as they fired the cannon. Before the blast struck, the attack bot activated all three implants at maximum power, just as it was destroyed.

At the Garage, Ziggy and Dr. K were checking over Tanaya when her heart suddenly stopped beating.

"We've got to save her!" Ziggy screamed at her. "We have to resuscitate."

"Ziggy, hand me those surgical tools over there." Dr. K instructed him. "It's the implant I found in her heart. It's preventing it from functioning. Until I remove it, there's nothing I can do for her."

"But..."

"The machines will breathe for her; all we can do is work quickly to stop her being under for too long." Dr. K told him. "Otherwise we won't be able to resuscitate."

Reluctantly, Ziggy handed over the tools, allowing Dr. K to grab a scalpel. As she made the first incision, Ziggy stood, unable to do anything to help. Instinctively, he reached for her hand, holding it warmly.

"We're going to help you." He whispered to her. "Just try to hang on."

Meanwhile at the scene of the battle, the Rangers recalled the Zords and de-morphed as they finished up with the attack bot. Summer looked around for the Green Ranger.

"Where's Ziggy?" She asked them. "Where's Tanaya? You don't think she took him..."

"She didn't look to be in any condition to take anybody anywhere." Scott informed her. "Ziggy probably took her to get help."

"Rangers, I need you back here right away." Dr. K told them. "Come at once."

"Why do I get the feeling this isn't going to be the end of a stressful day?" Flynn asked the others.

"Let's just get round there and figure out what Dr. K wants." Scott suggested. With that, they left the orphanage and made their way back to the Garage.

Dr. K came out of a secure side-room she had used to store their new patient. She had insisted on running some more tests after they had successfully removed the implant from her heart. Ziggy sat impatiently in the main room, awaiting word on her condition. Dr. K just busied herself putting her tools away.

"Well, how is she?" He asked her. Dr. K just shrugged.

"She will live." She replied. "I've built her a life support unit that will take care of her main biological functions."

"You mean like eating, drinking, going to..."

"That would be what I mean yes." Dr. K told him curtly. "She is not able to perform those functions herself, so..."

"Wait, why can't she do those things herself?" Ziggy asked her.

"I didn't remove the implants on her spine." Dr. K answered with all the empathy she'd have for a broken toaster. "She's quadriplegic."

"You didn't remove the other implants?" He screamed at her as the others arrived back in the Garage. "Why the hell not?"

"Her cellular regeneration, while fast, is clearly not as enhanced as it was before." Dr. K explained. "We don't have access to the regenerative serum that Venjix does. Her body has already been through a tremendous trauma from her first surgery..."

"Surgery?" Scott asked as they arrived, interjecting himself between Dr. K and Ziggy. He could already see that things were getting a little heated between them. "What are you talking about?"

"I brought Tanaya here during the battle. If she didn't get help she was going to die." Ziggy explained. "When we scanned her we found a couple of implants in her that didn't fit. It seems that Venjix was controlling her by threatening to shut down her spinal cord and her heart."

"So what's this about Surgery?" Flynn asked.

"In order to save her life I had to remove the implant from her heart." Dr. K snapped, glaring at Ziggy for daring to question her within her lab. "Ranger Green..."

"Ziggy!" He yelled, interrupting her.

"Ranger Green asked me...more like begged me...to save her life. I've done that." Dr. K concluded.

"You saved her life, but you left her quadriplegic!" He whined in protest. "We have to remove those other implants."

"As I already explained, her regenerative abilities are not enhanced by the serum Venjix injects her with. She'll need time to recover from her first surgery." Dr. K explained. "Also, since the other implants are attached to her spinal cord, we have to take a great deal of time and care to remove them. Since we can't re-grow her spinal tissue, if we cause any damage at all, we risk making the paralysis permanent anyway."

Ziggy backed down a little as she said this. He hadn't thought about the possible hazards involved in removing the implants.

"Besides, with the implants in place it'll make confining her a non-issue." Dr. K said casually. Dillon caught Ziggy as he rounded on her, his face betraying his anger.

"You never had any intention of removing those implants did you?" He shouted in an accusing tone. "You want to leave her quadriplegic to keep her prisoner?"

"We weren't exactly going to release her." Dr. K stated as Flynn helped to keep them apart. "She's in the secure room; her needs are being taken care of..."

"You're keeping her quadriplegic!" He repeated his protest. "It's torture! It's inhumane treatment! Have you even heard of the Geneva Convention?"

"Of course I have." Dr. K responded. "It only applies to humans."

Dillon released Ziggy and rounded on her a little angered by her statement. Summer could see that he was upset. She joined her boyfriend and Ziggy in opposing the doctor.

"So you'd feel the same way about me?" Dillon asked her. "I have much of the same technology in me as she does."

"Dillon, you're different." Dr. K told her. "She's served Venjix for months; we have no way of knowing where her allegiance lies."

Dillon couldn't begin to argue with her, he was far too angry. He stormed out of the room, followed closely by Summer. Ziggy just shook his head in disbelief.

"You know, there is an emotionless, cold hearted monster in here." Ziggy stated. He flicked a thumb over his shoulder towards the secure room. "She isn't in there."

With that, he left The Garage in order to walk off his frustrations. Flynn took a couple of steps away.

"Look, I don't have the authority to make any decisions, I'll stand by any decisions you make Doc." He told her in a sigh. "But for the record, I'm not really cool about the idea of leaving her like that."

"I understand your point of view." Dr. K responded. "However, I believe for everyone's safety it is best to keep her restrained in any way we can."

"Doc, I don't know about this." Scott told her. "I mean, couldn't we find some other way to restrain her?"

"I appreciate your input Scott, but you're only the field commander." Dr. K answered. "I still lead Project Ranger. The implants stay."

She left the room, leaving Scott and Flynn in the room together. Flynn just shrugged and made his way over to the computer.

"Well that's the end of that then." He sighed as he booted up the computer. "Fancy some tunes to calm things down?"

"Sure, why not?" Scott asked as Flynn started up the disk drive. Scott froze as the recording started. He had forgotten to remove Marcus' flight recording from the disk drive. He shut it down, removing the disk as Flynn looked at him a little confused.

"That was a flight recorder." He commented. "Eagle 1 was Marcus' designation wasn't it?"

"It's his flight recording." Scott informed him. "When I retrieved the reactor from his plane I also retrieved his flight recorder. I've had it ever since."

"That was ages ago!" Flynn reminded him. "Why haven't you given it to Col. Truman?"

"Because I wanted to find out what happened to him." Scott responded. "I knew if the military had it, they'd just file it under closed files."

"Look, why would you want to do this to yourself?" Flynn asked him sympathetically. "I know your brother meant a lot to you, but he's dead."

"That's just the thing Flynn, I never got closure. I don't know what happened." He replied.

"Scott, you saw his plane." Flynn reminded him. "I know it's hard to lose someone you care about..."

"The cockpit was almost completely intact." Scott interrupted him. "When I collected the flight recorder, I looked inside."

"God, that can't have been pretty." Flynn sighed. "Sorry to hear about..."

"You don't understand Flynn, the cockpit was empty." He interrupted the Blue Ranger. "It was almost intact, if he'd been in there I'd have expected to see something at least, but there was nothing there!"

"You think he ejected?" Flynn asked him. "Look, I can understand what you're thinking, but he never made it back to the city. If he had he'd have been found. Being sealed out there with Venjix's entire army? You have to face the facts Scott, even if he survived the crash. He's dead."

"Dillon survived out there, hell even ZIGGY did!" Scott protested. "I know the odds aren't good, I know he's probably dead, but I've just got to know."


	12. Dr K's Decision

Dillon and Summer came into the room Ziggy and Dillon shared, finding him sitting on the edge of the bed, holding his head in his hands.

"What's the word on Tanaya?" Ziggy asked them. Summer placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

"We left before she finished, but she hadn't changed her mind by the time we left." She informed him sadly. "You know how she gets when she's made up her mind on something."

"She can't do this!" Ziggy snapped, grabbing a bedside lamp and launching it across the room, smashing it against the opposite wall. "She has no right!"

"Ziggy we agree with you." Summer assured him. "Neither of us feels right about what she's doing. Sure it'll make holding her prisoner harder, but no one deserves what's happened to Tanaya. She deserves help."

"We would never have gotten to the orphanage in time if she hadn't opened her communications relay." He reminded them. "She helped Sam; we owe it to her to try at least right?"

"Ziggy, we agree with you." Dillon reiterated. He was almost as angry as Ziggy was, not least because in explaining her reasons for refusing to remove her spinal implants Dr. K had made perfectly clear the fact that Tanaya wasn't human. He knew that their implants and upgrades were different, but she was a series 7 as well. Much of the technology that was inside her body, augmenting her abilities was the same as the technology in his. As much as she had accepted his position as Ranger Black, it still didn't feel great to think that she didn't think of him as anything other than a machine.

He had done everything that had been asked of him and more. He had defended the people of Corinth, and he had even protected the other Rangers on more than one occasion and yet if her attitude to Tanaya was anything to go by, she still couldn't see past the implants and see him as anything other than a machine. Did that mean if the situation was different she would be willing to leave him to his fate? Or worse, to try and liquidate him herself? What did he have to do to prove himself?

"I just wish there was something we could do for her." Ziggy sighed as he crossed the room and started to pickup what was left of his lamp. "I can't get those implants out by myself, none of us can. Dr. K's the only one who could, and she refuses to do anything to help."

"Look, you can understand her worries, Tanaya's a powerful enemy. She's probably just worried about what could happen if she managed to get free of her cell." Summer told him. "I'm sure in time we'll be able to convince her to help, but it's a pretty big thing to ask from her. She's already saved her life, and you know that would have to have been against her instincts."

"I did have to pretty much beg her to remove the implant from her heart." Ziggy conceded thoughtfully. "She also said that we'd need to wait for her body to recover enough from the first surgery anyway."

"I know this is hard, but we can't do anything for her right now." Summer told him. "We'll think of something."

"I really hope so." Ziggy replied sadly. "I wanted to save her; I wanted to stop Venjix from hurting her and destroying her, but now? All I've managed to do is take her out of one prison and put her in another."

Summer could empathise with that thought. It hadn't been too long ago that she'd had to spend time in prison as a result of Ronan's evil mind games. She couldn't bear the thought of another person being in a similar situation, and as much as Tanaya had done to them in the past, she had been trying to make amends. She was confused as a result of Venjix's programming, that much was clear, but she had shown with her recent actions that her heart was beginning to over ride the apathy she had shown before. It wasn't right to allow her to suffer like this.

"Ziggy, I promise you that we'll help her in any way we can." She assured him. "I promise."

Down in a secure room, Tanaya started to come to. She lifted her head, looking around her new surroundings. The last thing she could remember was the incredible pain in her chest as her heart was shut down by the implant, and the darkness creeping in as she closed her eyes and prepared to accept her fate. She was sure that her plan had worked, this would be her end. She already couldn't move, and so all she could do was watch as the world slipped away. The Green Ranger was the last thing she saw as everything faded to black. She hadn't given any thought to waking up again.

She still couldn't move, or feel anything below her neck, and realised to her sorrow that the other implants were still active. The room was dark, and she couldn't see properly. Her visor had been removed, and unaided, her vision was not sufficient to see where she was. She could only see far enough to realise that she was in a seated position, and that her wrists were secured to the arm-rests of her chair by strong steel restraints. A horrible thought crossed her mind, had Venjix retrieved her and brought her back? She was sure that she would be destroyed; she had intended to ensure she would never be forced to harm others again. She wished at that moment that the Green Ranger had not forced her hand. She had been relying on the Rangers to destroy her and take the choice out of Venjix's hands. Now she was back in his clutches.

The lights came on, and she had to turn her head and close her eyes to shield them from the harsh light. She was only able to let a small moan escape from her throat, there was something preventing her from opening her mouth and speaking. As her eyes started to adjust to the harsh lights, she started to slowly open them and blinked a few times to clear her vision. It was then that she realised that she was not back in her chamber at Venjix's headquarters. She was somewhere else, but wherever she was, someone had no intention of allowing her to leave.

There were computer consoles and machines all around her, showing detailed accounts of human vitals, skeletal scans and schematics of bionics. She knew enough of her own anatomy to recognise her implants, whoever had brought her here was studying her. The vitals on the scanner ahead of her must have been hers. On a work bench nearby, she could see a small metal device, resting in a jar of fluid, which looked like a tiny mechanical spider.

"That was the implant attached to your heart." A voice behind her chair informed her. Tanaya's head snapped forward. Being unable to move below the neck, she was unable to locate her tormentor. There was a reflective surface ahead of her, which allowed her to see for the first time the extent of her predicament.

She was in a steel chair, much like the one Venjix used to hold her during her regeneration, though it was far bulkier and obviously less advanced. Despite her paralysis, she was secured in place by several bulky, steel restraints, locked in place. Several tubes and wires were inserted directly into her body, obviously there to analyse her functions. A steel muzzle had been secured in place over her nose and mouth, preventing her from opening her mouth, presumably as a precaution against her biting anyone. Her captor was clearly taking no chances with her. She saw a small movement in the reflective surface, and heard a couple of footsteps. Dr. K finally stepped into a position where she could be seen.

"I have removed the implant from your heart; your life is no longer in immediate threat." Dr. K informed her. "I have to admit that I had my doubts when Ranger Green asked me to save your life, but now I can see certain advantages to keeping you around."

She crossed over to the table, picking up the jar with the implant in it. She turned around to face Tanaya, presenting the jar to her.

"This is the first time I've ever had working Venjix technology to study." She informed the helpless cyborg, turning the jar in her hands and studying it with a curious fascination. "Normally by the time I get my hands on it, the Rangers have all but destroyed it."

Tanaya grunted a little at this. Because of the muzzle, she couldn't speak. She was not used to fear. She had felt it when she knew her life was completely in Venjix's hands. Now of course, she was afraid because while her gaoler had changed, she knew her life was still not her own. She was now at the mercy of this human.

"Yes, that includes the technology in your body." Dr. K answered the question she was sure Tanaya would be asking. "Your body had technology far beyond anything I've ever retrieved intact. It will tell us a lot about the enemy we're facing."

She put the jar back down on the table. Tanaya stared at it intently, feeling an intense surge in her heartbeat and her jaw tightening. She hated that thing. This was the thing that had taken everything from her. It had been used to force her to attack the orphanage. It had almost stolen her life, and now it had put her in the clutches of this woman.

"These devices will study all of your implants and update our databanks with all the new information we can gather, while the others will ensure your survival." Dr. K informed her, continuing to monitor a few things. "I'll be back later when I have more data to go on."

As she left, she turned off the lights, plunging the room once more into darkness. Tanaya rested her head on the back of her chair and sobbed gently. She had hoped her plan would work, that her suffering would end. Now though, it appeared that the only thing that had changed was the face of her captor. It seemed that she was destined to be a prisoner.

Flynn arrived at the hospital, carrying a large bag of grapes and a couple of magazines as he went to visit Sam. It had now been a couple of days since Tanaya had given her the transfusion, and he had heard from the doctors that she had made startling progress with her recovery. Because of recent events, he hadn't seen her as often as he'd have liked, and he was desperate to see her again and cheer her up. As he got into the room, he found her with a doctor, walking around the room on crutches. She was a little shaky on her feet, and the effort showed on her face as she walked, but given the prognosis only a few days beforehand, it was miraculous. Flynn couldn't help smiling to see her on her feet.

"You'll be running marathons in no time." He said with a childish glee as he watched her turn to face him. She flashed a bright smile at him and made her way towards him, slowly and delicately, and leant in, kissing him. The doctor gave a small cough.

"I think that's enough for right now." He declared with a little grin as he left. "We weren't expecting you to be this active by now. It's probably best to let you rest up a bit and try a little more tomorrow morning."

As he left, Flynn helped Sam back to the bed and helped her sit on it, taking the crutches from her and resting them against her bedside cabinet. He reached over, taking her hand gently.

"I haven't seen you recently." She greeted him, reaching up and stroking his cheek. "I was starting to miss you."

"Sorry, things have been a little busy lately." He told her in an apologetic tone. "I came as soon as I could. Oh, I brought you some stuff."

He handed her the gifts, which she considered. She almost burst out laughing as she pulled out a large, somewhat threadbare bunch of grapes, which only had about half the grapes left on it and was mostly stalk.

"I take it you were hungry." She giggled as she looked at him. He was a little embarrassed about giving her half of his intended gift.

"Sorry, you know I always get a little peckish when I've got a lot on my mind." He reminded her. "It's been a really bizarre day."

"Would you like to talk about it?" She asked him, adjusting her position on the bed. Flynn let out a sigh; he didn't really know what to tell her. Between finding Scott with his brother's flight recorder, and his reservations over Dr. K's stance regarding Tanaya, it had been more than a little bit of a trying day.

"We caught Tanaya." He informed her nervously. He still wasn't really sure how to feel about her. She had given Sam an incredible gift by assisting her recovery with the blood transfusion, and she had saved the orphanage by alerting the Rangers to Venjix plans t turn her loos on them. On the other hand, she had kidnapped the woman he loved with all of his heart, and she had almost killed both of them. Because of her, Sam had been made to face the prospect of spending the remainder of her life in a wheelchair. "Dr. K's holding her at the lab."

"Oh." Sam said, her face dropping a little. Flynn didn't know how to read her expression. She seemed to be as confused about the situation as he did. "What happened?"

"It seems Venjix hasn't been too happy with her performance lately. He added a couple of implants that were designed to be activated to punish her. He used them to force her to attack the orphanage." He explained. "During the battle, she stopped attacking and one of the attack bots activated them. It caused her to lose all control of her spine and her heart to fail. Ziggy managed to get her back to the Garage where the doc saved her life."

"Oh my God, that's barbaric!" Sam exclaimed, holding her hands over her mouth in horror. "How is she?"

He got a slightly nervous smile on his face as he heard her say this. Just like him, Sam had a lot of reasons to hate Tanaya; it was because of her she'd ended up in the hospital. Of course she was also grateful to her for the transfusion, giving her renewed hope for a full recovery. Even with the conflict, he knew it was just like Sam to be worried about her condition. She hated the thought of anyone suffering, even someone she had good reason to hate.

"She's being held at the doc's lab." He continued. "She's under total lockdown; the doc doesn't want to take any chances with her. We've all voiced concerns, but she pulled rank on us."

"Flynn what are you talking about?" Sam asked him. "What did she do?"

"It's more what she hasn't done." Flynn told her. "There are implants in her spine that render her quadriplegic. Apparently Venjix wanted a foolproof way of restraining her. The implants are active, so Tanaya can't move. Dr. K doesn't want to remove them in case she's a danger to us."

He could see the look in her face and could feel the anger radiating from her. It was understandable in a way, she had been paralysed below the waist for a couple of days, and it had left her feeling helpless. Tanaya was in the situation of being completely paralysed, and if Dr. K had her way, that was how she was going to stay.

"Flynn, we have to do something!" She shrieked at him. "We can't let her stay like that, we owe her too much!"

"Sam, you can't get worked up like this." He reminded her. "You have to rest if you want to recover. We'll try and get Dr. K to change her mind, but it won't be easy. She can be a bit unreasonable when she's made her mind up."

"Please Flynn, you have to try." She implored him passionately. "She's made mistakes, but you said it yourself, she's tried to correct them, even when she knew that it could lead to her being destroyed. No one deserves to be treated like this, please."

"I promise I'll try Sam." He told her. "I promise."

"There's still something bothering you isn't there?" Sam asked him, noticing a slight reluctance in him. "You can tell me anything. You know that right?"

Flynn had to commend her ability to see through him like that. He was more than a little worried about Scott. He had explained that he had found the flight recorder from Marcus' plane, and he had been listening to it continuously for some kind of clue as to what happened. He wouldn't have been as worried about that if it wasn't for one other thing Scott had said. The cockpit of the plane was empty. He had somehow convinced himself with that one fact that Marcus might still be alive.

He could understand his desperation for that to be true. Although he had never met Marcus, he had heard Scott talk about him many times, and he knew how much he looked up to him. He had always said he couldn't understand how a Venjix drone could shoot him down. Finding out about this had given him something a little dangerous. It had given him a small measure of hope.

It was a tragic fact that most of the people of Corinth knew a few people who hadn't made it to the city. The worst part was always not having closure, of not knowing. Given time though, most accepted the inevitable. Flynn had more than a few friends that never made it, and had come to terms with the fact that they would not have survived out in the wastes with Venjix's armies.

Scott though had taken an understandable, though somewhat unrealistic view that since his brother was not in the cockpit at the crash site, that he had either ejected, or survived impact and left the plane. He was desperate to know if his brother was alive or not. In some ways it would have been less cruel if he had seen Marcus' corpse in the plane. Then he wouldn't have this potentially harmful mindset.

Scott knew that Flynn wasn't convinced of his faith in his brother's ability to survive, and had simply assured him that it wouldn't interfere with his Ranger duties. He had sworn him to secrecy about the flight recorder and his belief that Marcus could be alive somewhere. Flynn had only agreed so long as it didn't get out of hand.

"It's OK Sam." He replied. "There's something going on with one of the others, something I've promised I wouldn't say anything about."

"It's OK, I'd never ask you to betray a friend's confidence." She assured him. "Just, promise me you'll try and help her."

"You know I will pet." He responded, drawing her into a kiss. "You know I will."

Meanwhile, back at the Garage, Ziggy made his way to the secure room, beginning to take a look at the lock in the hope of finding some way in.

"It operates on a retinal scan." Dr. K informed him. "It's set to only my retina."

"So you're locking us out?" Ziggy asked her a little incredulously. "You don't trust us?"

"I'm the head of Project Ranger." She reminded him. "I don't see why I should have to justify myself to you."

"I don't know, maybe because I'm a part of Project Ranger!" He snapped. "Why aren't we getting in to see her?"

"You don't need to know that." Dr. K replied. "You have no business here."

"I do have business here." He answered her. "You're deliberately letting a person suffer!"

The commotion had disturbed the others, who were upstairs having dinner. Scott, Summer and Dillon came down to the lab from the main room to see what all the noise was about, finding them arguing.

"Ranger Green, you are not responsible for the technological or research…"

"I don't give a DAMN about your research!" Ziggy interrupted her aggressively.

"Whoa, back it up Ziggy!" Scott warned him, putting himself between them. "You both need to calm down."

"I'll say you do, I could hear you from outside!" Flynn told them as he arrived. "What's this all about?"

"It's about what Dr. K has planned for Tanaya." Ziggy replied coldly. "She's locked all of us out of that lab. Only she's allowed in."

"Ziggy, sometimes we don't need to know what Dr. K does behind the scenes." Scott reminded him. "We've trusted her research this far…"

"Her research never involved a prisoner before." Dillon chipped in, causing them all to look around. "What does she have to hide? What is she planning to do with her?"

"I'm planning to research and study her implants." Dr. K stated. "It's the first time I've had working Venjix technology at my disposal."

"You're getting to study our enemies' technology." Scott concluded. "See, there's nothing…"

"How?" Ziggy asked her. "You plan to do x-rays, scans, stuff like that right?"

"That's correct." Dr. K replied.

"What do you plan to do with her long term?" He asked her. "I mean, surely you can't plan to keep he here like this forever."

"Only until she's no longer a threat to us." She said with her usual dark tone.

"Since you're the only one that's getting to see her, I guess you're the one that decides if she's dangerous." Ziggy commented bitterly. "You know, there is a monster here, and it isn't in that room!"

"Ziggy, you're out of line!" Scott reprimanded him. "I'm not happy about either, but Dr. K…"

"What do you suppose she'll do if the scans don't tell her what she wants to know?" Ziggy asked him. "Would you put it past her to perform an autopsy?"

"Strictly speaking if the subject is alive it would be vivisection." Dr. K corrected him sarcastically. All of the Rangers looked at her in shock.

"I don't know about you, but I thought Rangers were meant to help people." Ziggy stated, ripping his morpher off his wrist. "Consider this my vote of no confidence in you doc. Either you're off the team, or I am."

"If that's how you feel Ranger Green, then I'll take your morpher." She said, extending a hand. "It's not like you were chosen or anything."

"You'll have to take mine too." Dillon interrupted her, tearing off his own morpher. "If you can treat a person like that, I can't trust you."

"I'm sorry Dr. K, but I'm really not comfortable with this either." Summer told her, pulling out her morpher. "We can't sink to Venjix's level, otherwise, how are we any better?"

"I was going to ask you to reconsider." Flynn said, pulling out his morpher. "Now, I'm going to join them and tell you."

"Scott?" She asked nervously. Of all the Rangers, she was sure he was the most likely to respect the chain of command and back her up. Surely he had to realise the danger Tanaya could put them in. He looked between the Ranger s and Dr. K, before making his decision. He shook his head gently and pulled out his morpher.

"Five to one, you're out voted. The vote of no confidence is unanimous." He told her sadly. "You will not have exclusive access to her to study her. You will help Tanaya, and you will open that lab to us, or you will leave Project Ranger."


	13. Tanaya's Plight

Dr. K stood, staring at the Rangers as they stood, staring at her in judgement. The few minutes that had passed seemed like days as she backed up a little. She had assembled the team personally, all except for Ziggy of course, he was an accident, and right now he seemed to be the one that was threatening to take all she had worked hard for away from her.

She shrunk a little under their gaze. She shifted nervously as she tried to muster up some strength to respond to their defiance.

"Y...you can't kick me out!" She stammered weakly. "Project Ranger's down to me, if it wasn't for me there wouldn't be a Project Ranger..."

"There wouldn't be a Project Ranger if it wasn't for us either doc." Flynn interrupted her. "Look, I didn't want it to come to ultimatums. I've been with Project Ranger since day 1. I've not always agreed with or understood what you were doing, but I've always trusted you."

He gestured to the door behind her, drawing closer to her.

"This is just something I can't support." He continued.

"The only thing we have that separates us from Venjix is our humanity." Summer explained gently. "If we don't have that, then we have nothing."

"But she's still dangerous." Dr. K protested weakly. "With her strength she could escape..."

"How would you feel if it was you?" Summer asked her.

Dr. K slumped against the wall and covered her face with her hands. She still didn't understand what their point was, but she could see everything she had worked so hard for over the last four years falling apart before her eyes. She knew logically that Project Ranger couldn't work without the Rangers. They were bonded to the technology on a genetic level, they couldn't be replaced, and Corinth needed them. Of course the Rangers had threatened her that they wouldn't work with her any further. She was about to lose Project Ranger to them. It was her whole world; she couldn't bear to let it go.

"Come in with me Ziggy." She told him, opening a panel, revealing the retinal scan. "You want this, if I help her, she'll be your responsibility."

"What about you?" He asked her.

"You've all made it quite clear you don't want me to have anything to do with her." She replied quietly, turning her face from him as she used the scan and opened the door. "After removing the implants from her spine, I'll take no further part in her care."

Ziggy and Dr. K disappeared into the lab, leaving the other Rangers outside. Dillon took Summer's hand softly and jerked his head in the direction of the stairs.

"Do you want to talk about your therapy session?" He asked her. Summer looked up to him, biting her lip nervously, and shook her head.

"I'm not quite ready for that." She replied. "I would like to talk though. Is that cool?"

"I think I can manage that." He said with a smile, leading her up the stairs to the main room. Scott looked to Flynn and gestured to the stairs.

"You can go too." He told the Blue Ranger. "I'm sure you'll probably be a little worn out after everything that happened today."

"What about you?" Flynn asked him. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"I told you, this thing with the flight recorder; I won't let it get in the way of my duties." He reiterated quietly. "Look, I know it's unlikely Marcus survived, I know it's just wishful thinking. The thing is...it's all I have left of him."

"I understand you wanting to keep a piece of him close by." Flynn said sympathetically, patting his arm gently. "I already promised I wouldn't say anything. Just think about how you really want to remember your brother. Do you really want the thing you use to remember him to be the recording he made when he was shot down?"

"I guess not." He muttered. "Look, I just want to make sure Dr. K's alright, I know something like this would have shaken me up. I just want to make sure she's on the same page with us."

"I understand. I'm going to bed, just...let me know if you want to talk." He replied. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Scott grabbed a stool and took a seat by the side of the door, waiting for Dr. K and Ziggy to finish with their prisoner. He wasn't used to questioning her, and he knew that Dr. K would not be used to being questioned. Even before Project Ranger, she had headed up several military research departments. She was obsessive about order and procedure, she would freak out if anything at all about her work was questioned, and her entire team had just threatened insurrection. He knew she would be far from happy, and as team leader, it was his responsibility to make sure the team as a whole functioned properly. He hated to think what would happen to them if Dr. K left, that was the last thing he wanted.

Meanwhile, inside the lab, Dr. K fired up the lights as she sealed the door behind them. Ziggy noticed Tanaya's head lifting as the lights came on. He came around in front of her, seeing the pleading, helpless look in her eyes.

"We're going to help you, I promise." He said to her in a soothing tone, looking into her eyes.

"I don't think she'll be strong enough just yet, but her results are looking good." Dr. K told him. Ziggy gave her a slightly unconvinced look, causing her to hold up her hands defensively. "I'm not trying to avoid this, I swear, I honestly worry that if we put her through too much trauma, that she won't survive."

"What would you suggest as a suitable timeframe for the second surgery?" He asked her. "When can we remove the other implants?"

"Since the implants are attached directly to the spinal cord, we have to take great care removing them. Without the regenerative serum, her spinal cord won't recover if we damage it. We'll have to take our time over it." Dr. K explained to him. "I wouldn't feel comfortable taking any less than 18 hours over the removal of each implant. Her body won't be up to taking that all at once. She'll need to recover between treatments."

"How long are we talking about?" Ziggy asked her; still uncertain as to how honest she was being about this. Dr. K seemed to be examining a few monitors.

"I think she'll be strong enough for the second surgery in another 24 hours." Dr. K said quietly. "By then she should be strong enough from the surgery to remove her heart implant. By removing the implant from her upper spine, I should be able to restore the function to her upper body. After that though, it'll be a while before I'd be comfortable to risk a third surgery."

"How long?" Ziggy asked her.

"I won't know until we see how she recovers, but I'd estimate at least a fortnight to recover." Dr. K suggested. "Until that time, she'll still be paraplegic, presuming nothing goes wrong with the second surgery."

He ran a hand through his hair as he considered the options. He got a glimpse of her eyes, and saw the slightly hopeful look in her eyes.

"How do I take this off?" He asked, beginning to inspect the muzzle. Dr. K let out a sigh and came over behind her, disengaging the locking mechanism securing it in place. Ziggy carefully removed it, placing it down on a nearby work bench. He pulled out a handkerchief, gently wiping her face.

"Do you understand everything?" Ziggy asked her.

"You wish to remove the restraining implants." She replied.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her.

"I'm feeling a little weak, and...strange." She replied. "I can't concentrate properly, I'm dizzy..."

"Are those side effects from the anaesthetic?" Ziggy asked Dr. K. She nodded to confirm his suspicions.

"I don't want to risk putting her under again until I'm sure the anaesthetic's out of her system." She informed him, continuing to check things on the nearby console. "She should be ready by tomorrow."

"Do you understand what's happening?" Ziggy asked the captive. Tanaya looked into his eyes and nodded.

"You'll remove one of the implants." She responded. "I'll only be disabled below the waist if it works."

"There's nothing I can do for her tonight." Dr. K stated, making her way to the door. "I've set the retinal scan to allow you into the lab. I'll be back tomorrow at midday to begin the procedure."

She left the lab, sealing the door behind her. Ziggy turned back to Tanaya, stroking some hair out of her face.

"Why are you doing this?" Tanaya asked him. "We're enemies..."

"We don't have to be." He answered her softly. "There's good in you, I could see that."

"Venjix's programming has affected me for so long." She murmured. "I've had one or two flashbacks. I know I was human, I had a life before all of this happened. I just don't remember it. The implants and the programming in my brain affected my thoughts..."

"It's alright, I understand." He informed her. "Dillon's my friend, he has implants like yours too, and he doesn't remember anything about his life before either."

"I don't know if I can be a good person." She said sadly. "Maybe your boss is right, maybe it would be safest if I'm left like this. Maybe it would be best if I'm destroyed."

"People might have said the same about Dillon, and look how much good he's done." Ziggy responded as he poured her a cup of water and came back to her, gently helping her drink some. "There are so many people that he's saved that wouldn't have lived if we hadn't given him a chance."

"But all the things I've done..."

"It's like Summer said to Dillon. It doesn't matter where you've been. All that matters is where you're going." He interrupted her, stroking her cheek gently. "That orphanage means everything to me; the matron's been like a mother to me almost all my life. I would never have let you have the opportunity to attack it if I thought you would harm them."

"But I was under Venjix's control, I had no choice..."

"You did, and you made it." Ziggy reminded her. "Not many would have chosen to die rather than harm others. That's why I'm confident you're a good person at heart."

"It would still be safer not to help me." She reminded him. "Venjix may try to reclaim me."

"Being unable to harm people doesn't make you good." He stated with authority. "Having the choice and still doing what's right is what makes a human a good person."

He picked up the muzzle, inspecting it for a second, causing Tanaya to panic slightly. He looked at her, seeing the look in her eyes, and cast his gaze back to the muzzle. He could see how much the thought of going back into that terrified her. He dropped it into the trash.

"I know you don't need this." He told her, touching her hand softly. Tanaya managed a small smile at the gesture. She wished she could feel it; the Green Ranger's kindness had been the only thing that gave her any hope of having anything other than a life of slavery. "I'm going to get a sleeping bag, I'll be back soon."

"You're going to sleep here?" Tanaya asked him. Ziggy nodded.

"I wouldn't want anyone to be alone at a time like this." He answered her. "It wouldn't be right."

Meanwhile, Dr. K was sitting alone on the roof of the Garage, staring out over the city. Tears were running down her face as she considered everything that had happened over the day. More than that, the events of the last day made her consider everything that had happened over her life. Scott had been in the hall outside the lab when she left, but she wasn't able to face any of the Rangers. She pushed past him and ran to the roof for some privacy. It was bad enough that her team didn't want her; the last thing she wanted was for any of them to see her in her despair. That was why she was careful to ensure Ziggy didn't see her face as she checked Tanaya's vitals to determine when she would be fit to undergo the next surgery.

Scott opened the roof access door, finding her sitting on the edge of the roof, looking out over the night. She glanced backward, seeing him before turning back out over the city.

"I've already agreed to help her." She stated, wiping away a tear. "You don't have to say anything; I know you don't want me."

"Dr. K, I already told you, we didn't want things to go down like that." He reminded her, making his way towards her and placing a hand on her shoulder gently. "We want you on the team. None of this would have been possible without you."

"Please, you chose Ranger Green over me." She muttered. "You all stood against me, you don't respect me."

"We respect you, we just didn't feel right about the way you were treating Tanaya." He reiterated. "None of us wanted to do it that way, we all kind of hoped we could get you to change your mind without going that far, but you were cutting us out. It seemed like the only way we could make you see what you were doing."

"I know you all think I'm a heartless monster." She sniffed, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. It was only then that Scott noticed the quiver in her voice and realised she was crying. "I don't mean to be, I've just always had a problem with other people. I've never been able to identify with others properly."

She wrapped her arms around herself to protect herself from the worst of the early evening cold.

"Science, medicine, engineering, electronics, computer programming, all those kinds of things have always come easily to me." She told him, thinking back over her life. "I graduated High School when I was 7. When most kids were worrying about what shoes to wear so their friends wouldn't make fun of them, I was picking university courses."

"You're young, you developed early, I get that." Scott told her.

"I'm 18 years old and I already have six doctorates." She informed him. "I was picked up by the government after earning my High School diploma. The CIA brought me in because of my science project."

"The CIA was interested in a 7 year old?" He asked her. She nodded.

"I designed a nuclear reactor." She explained, recalling the incident with a small laugh. It all seemed so ridiculous at the time. "They saw my home computer downloading all these details of nuclear fuels and schematics and launched an investigation. They thought one of my parents might have been a terrorist. It was only when they inspected things more closely they realised it was me and that the whole thing was innocent."

"You know if anyone else told me that, I'd have doubted them." Scott sniggered, trying to imagine a 7 year old Dr. K explaining the intricacies of a nuclear reactor to the CIA.

"I was taken into the government think tank after that." She explained. "I was hot-housed and run through courses until I was up to speed. I was first brought into a meeting when I was 13. I was terrified to look around at all those people; I had read most of their books and papers. They were legends, idols to me and here I was, a kid introduced to them as an equal."

She breathed a sigh and composed herself to continue. Scott took a seat nearby.

"A few of them laughed at me, some of them to my face, some of them behind my back. Most of them just ignored me." She explained. "What could a kid like me know that could help them?"

"I guess that explains the whole computer screen thing." Scott replied. "I guess we were all a little surprised by the fact you were so young."

"I've just never been able to identify with people." She continued. "I have Asperger Syndrome. It's a kind of mild Autism."

"Really?" He asked her.

"I just occasionally have problems with other people's feelings." She explained. "Circuit boards and cybernetics, those are easy, but other people? That's what really baffles me."

"It's tough to think of you being confused." Scott replied sympathetically, taking off his jacket and putting it around her. "You looked cold."

"Thank you." She whispered gently, pulling it around herself. "You don't need to worry; I'll respect your decision. Once I've removed the implants, I'll go. I know that the success of Project Ranger relies more on you than it does on me. If you can't work with me, I'll leave."

"I said it before; we don't want you to leave." Scott told her, sitting down with her and putting an arm around her. "You're as much a part of the team as we are."

"Somehow I don't think I'd suit the Ranger exoskeletons." She said with a weak laugh, turning a little smile at the thought.

"Well you don't need the suit. You do enough for us." Scott assured her. "Just, try not to forget that you aren't the only one on the team. Sometimes it's worth listening to the others and making a decision as a group."

He got up and started to head towards the door, before stopping and turning back.

"I have one more suggestion. You might want to try using our names." He suggested. "Ranger Red's cool and everything, but I prefer Scott."

"I'll bear that in mind." She replied. "Thanks Scott."

He left her alone on the roof to her thoughts. She still felt isolated and alone as a result of the threatened insurrection, but Scott had gone some way towards accepting her back into the group. She knew things would never be the same in the group. They now no longer accepted all of her directions without question; she wasn't in complete control as she had been. It scared her a little to consider how things had changed, change always scared her. She had a somewhat obsessive need for order in her life and her surroundings, any change was hard for her to accept, but she had worked too hard on Project Ranger to walk away. It was her life. As much as it scared her, she would have to embrace change.

As she got up, something fell out of the pocket. She bent down and picked it up, seeing it was a disk. Inspecting it more closely, she realised that it was from a flight recorder.

"Why would Scott have a flight recording?" She asked herself.


	14. Tanaya's Procedure

The following morning, Ziggy was woken gently from his sleep with a little shake. Looking up the arm grabbing his shoulder, he found Dr. K standing over him.

"It's time Ranger Green." She told him, gesturing to the workbench that had been set up for the procedure. "Help me get her onto the bench."

Ziggy rubbed the sand from his eyes and crawled out of the sleeping bag, before making his way to the side of Tanaya's chair. He smiled at her.

"We're about to remove the second implant." He said reassuringly. "It's time."

"I have to warn you that this procedure is very delicate and is very risky." Dr. K warned her as she began disengaging the restraints on her chair. "If the slightest mistake is made, there may be some, or even complete paralysis, do you understand?"

"I do." She whispered as Dr. K and Ziggy each took one of her arms and lifted her from the chair to the work bench. They laid her face-down on the bench, before beginning to fasten restraints around her arms, legs, waist and neck, securing her in place. She was left unable to do anything but stare straight down through a hole in the bench for her face.

"Because of the nature of the surgery, you have to be completely immobilised." Dr. K explained. "Because the procedure deals with the spinal cord, we'll need to know of any feelings you have so we know immediately of any danger, so you'll only be under local anaesthetic. We need you to be conscious during the whole operation."

"I understand." She responded as they finished securing her to the bench. "Will...will it hurt?"

"The anaesthetic should stop it hurting, but you will feel some discomfort." Dr. K warned her as she began cutting away her bodysuit. Ziggy turned from her and turned a little pink as Dr. K started to remove her clothing. "Ranger operator green, is something wrong?"

"Um...I just...do you need me here?" He asked the doctor, trying not to look at the stricken cyborg shackled to the table.

"I suppose I only need you here when the procedure's over to help me get her back into the chair." Dr. K said with a shrug, still not certain as to why he was uncomfortable around her.

"Ziggy, please stay." Tanaya begged him. "Please."

He let out a small sigh and came over to the side of the bench, gently running a hand through her hair as he pulled her hair up clear of her back to allow Dr. K access.

"If you don't want me to go, then I'll stay." He responded, taking a seat next to her, trying hard not to look at her body as Dr. K marked out where the implant was and prepared the area with iodine lotion.

"I'm beginning the anaesthetic." She warned Tanaya, injecting the area. "I'll begin in a few minutes."

Meanwhile, Summer was taking Dillon for another ride on her motorcycle, skidding to a halt by the bay. Staring out over the river, they dismounted and removed their helmets. Summer smiled as Dillon put an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry you had to end up with the freak-out artist as a girlfriend." She whispered, putting an arm around his waist and pulling him in closer to her.

"Look, you know I'm here for you." He reminded her. "I just want you to be happy."

"I know I'm not the easiest of girls to be with." Summer responded. "The therapy sessions are making my think about a lot of things I've put out of my mind. I can't explain how much I just want all this to be over."

"Listen, after what Ronan did, I'm not surprised that you're taking a little while to get over this." He reiterated, squeezing her a little.

"That's just it, I think what happened with Ronan's just brought up a lot of other insecurities that I hadn't realised I had." She explained. "Dr. Young had me talking a lot about my childhood, and it brought up a lot of really bad feelings in me. I think he's convinced that something there is the real cause of this problem I have."

"Summer, you don't have to tell me if it makes you feel uncomfortable." Dillon assured her as they walked. She took a seat on a nearby bench, and Dillon joined her. "I know that you're a very different person now than the one your parents arranged to marry Chas."

"Please, don't remind me." She grumbled, remembering the farcical wedding ceremony they tried to pressure her into at the Garage. "Chas was more interested in how he looked in his dress fatigues than marrying me."

"Well he showed his true colours anyway when he hid behind Dr. K." Dillon remarked, remembering the ceremony himself. "How did a joker like that ever get to become an officer?"

"His parents bought him into a fast track course in the officer's corp." Summer informed him. "He went straight after graduating High School. I sincerely doubt he's ever seen the front-line, never mind fought on it."

"Well it's reassuring to know that our military is led by men who earned their rank." Dillon said sarcastically. "I'm sure Colonel Truman has to feel so much better knowing he had someone like Chas on his staff."

"Chas is on the administration corp." Summer told him. "I'm sure he can't do too much damage there."

"You know so much about him; it makes me wonder if you really are happy to get out of that wedding." Dillon teased her. "He's such a catch, maybe you should look him up."

Summer just sniggered and shoved him away playfully. There was a time she'd have thought nothing of going through with the wedding. She and Chas had been introduced when they were five years old, her parents had arranged for her to marry him long before she even understood what a wedding was. They had made a point of giving her regular updates on what he was doing and talking up his successes in school and the military in order to impress her.

"Come on Dillon, if I can't let you hold me, what chance do you think Chas has?" She asked him. "I'd probably end up breaking something he'd miss."

"Well you did look good in the dress though." He complimented her.

"Thanks, I just wish my first time in a wedding dress hadn't been a farce." She sighed. "I can't believe I used to even think about marrying him. Now the thought of him touching me makes my skin crawl. I'm sure if mom and dad had their way from the start I'd probably already have their first grandkid."

"Now that's a scary thought." Dillon laughed. "Can you imagine what those kids would have looked like?"

"I try not to think about it." She muttered with a small shudder. "No doubt Chas and I would have been as close as my mom and dad were."

"Your mom and dad weren't close?" Dillon asked her. Summer shook her head sadly.

"They were arranged too. Mom married my dad at her parent's request when she was 19." She explained. "They tried to make a go of things, they really did, but they were just too different. It seemed like they spent most of their time screaming at each other. The servants tried to keep me away from that, and tried to keep me in the dark, but I found out. It felt like they hated each other."

"They didn't seem that close when I met them, but they didn't seem to be that bad either." Dillon remarked.

"They would never argue in front of company. They'd think that was beneath them." She explained, a little bitterness creeping into her voice. She started to imitate her mother's voice. "We're Landsdowns honey, people look up to us. We don't do that kind of thing."

"OK, please do me a favour and don't do that again." Dillon stated with a slightly pained look on his face. "You sounded way too much like your mom."

"They were always so worried how other people saw them than they were always at each other's throats behind closed doors." Summer told him, wiping away a tear. "If they'd had the choice, they'd probably have gotten a divorce like other couples, but they wouldn't do that. It would bring shame on the Landsdown name if they split up."

"So instead they stayed together even though it made them miserable?" Dillon asked her, a little surprised. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Welcome to my world." Summer said with a weak laugh. "Now it doesn't matter though. After the wedding, I doubt the Winchesters will be speaking to my family again, much less trying to arrange another wedding."

"But they tried to force you to go through with the wedding even after the fight." Dillon reminded her.

"I'm a Landsdown." She said as though this explained everything. "Even penniless, my family name carried the same prestige. They'd rather have Chas marry a penniless Landsdown that a nouveau riche."

"I doubt I'll ever understand that." Dillon said, shaking his head in defeat. "Would you like to get back?"

"Not yet." She said quietly, holding out a hand to him. "Do you mind if we just sit here for a while?"

Dillon took her hand, lacing her fingers with his and smiled at her.

"Take all the time you need." He told her. She rested her head on his shoulder and looked out over the bay, taking in the view as the early morning commuters began their day. Sitting there, just watching the rest of the world going about their business, he felt happy to be there with her. Even if he did want more from her, as long as he was with her, holding her hand was more than enough.

Back at the lab, Dr. K picked up a cloth and mopped some sweat from her brow as she continued to work on the operation. It had now been a few hours since they started, and the stress was beginning to take its toll. She took hold of a clamp, holding the implant gingerly as she reached for another tool.

"I've found the implant and immobilised it." She informed Tanaya as she watched the monitor, manoeuvring into position. "There seems to be six hooked probes inserted straight into the spinal cord. I'm going to start cutting through the first probe. Tell me whatever you feel."

Ziggy placed his hand on the back of her head, stroking it gently in a reassuring gesture as he kept his eyes glued to the monitor. Tanaya felt a little twinge as the doctor started carefully cutting away the probe.

"I can feel my fingers." She told her.

"Are you in pain?" Dr. K asked her. Tanaya smiled slightly as she twitched her fingers.

"No, it doesn't hurt, it feels strange." She informed them. Ziggy saw her fingers moving. "I can feel my fingers."

He took her hand gently, holding it as the feeling started to return to her. The gesture raised another smile from Tanaya as she held it gently, taking comfort in his soft grip.

"There goes the first probe." Dr. K informed her, using a pair of tweezers to gently remove the probe and dropped it into a kidney dish. She mopped a little more sweat from her brow.

"Are you experiencing any pain or numbness in your arm?" She asked.

"No." Tanaya replied, squeezing Ziggy's fingers a little. "Right now I'm feeling pretty good."

Flynn arrived in the main room, finding Scott tearing it apart looking for something. He had a look on his face that made him look like a man possessed. He knew about the flight recording, and he was becoming a little worried about him. It seemed like only the disk could cause him to react like this.

He was due to pick Sam up from the hospital to take her back home today. She still needed crutches for support, but she was now strong enough on her feet to be able to function, and she was becoming a little bored with the routine at the hospital. Scott finally realised he was there and walked over to him intently with a look of unreasoned rage on his face. Flynn figured that Sam could wait; right now it was Scott who was in trouble. Scott grabbed him roughly by the jacket and thrust him against a wall forcefully.

"Where is it Flynn?" He snarled, getting into the Blue Ranger's face. "What have you done with it?"

"What are you talking about?" Flynn asked him. Scott's mind had been prone to wandering so much lately that he knew there was only one thing that was likely to get this kind of reaction from him. Scott slammed him into the wall again.

"You know damn fine I mean the disk!" Scott snapped back in response. "You've been trying to get me to turn it in since you found out, and this morning it's gone. You're the only one that knows about it. What have you done? Did you hide it? Did you go behind my back and give it to dad?"

"I promised you I wouldn't!" Flynn reminded him, ripping Scott's hands from him and shoving him away. "You know my thoughts on the subject but I wouldn't betray your trust like that! It's not my place!"

Scott backed down a little and took a step away. He still wasn't thinking entirely clearly, but taking a second to breathe, he realised it didn't sound like something Flynn would do. Even if he didn't think what Scott was doing was right or healthy; he valued trust more than anything. He wouldn't have gone behind his back unless he felt like it was in Scott's best interests, though he certainly wouldn't do so and lie to his face about it. He would have come clean about it.

"I've looked everywhere, I can't find it." He stated, taking a seat on the stairs and running a hand through his hair. Flynn came and took a seat next to him, putting an arm around him.

"Look, do you really think that's such a bad thing?" Flynn asked him. "You have been a little scattered lately. You said you wouldn't let this thing affect your duties, but how long do you really think it'll be before you do?"

"Flynn, I'd never..."

"You've missed training, and even when you do train, you have been kind of sleepwalking through it lately." Flynn reminded him. "When was the last time you gave your car a tune-up?"

"This disk is important Flynn." Scott told him flatly. "It's all I have left of him. It's the only way I can get answers..."

"What answers do you really expect to find?" Flynn asked him. "I know you found the plane was empty, but that only means he got out at some point."

"It means..."

"It means he was alive when the plane crashed." Flynn interrupted him. "Either he bailed out before the plane hit, or he survived the crash and left after it hit, but even if he did survive, don't you think you'd have heard something about him by now?"

"He could have been hurt." Scott reminded him. "He could have amnesia or be in a coma or..."

"Scott, he was the hero of Corinth. Everyone knew who he was. If he made it back to the city he'd have been identified." Flynn reminded him. "That only leaves the option that he was out in the wastes when the shields went up."

"But Dillon..."

"Dillon wasn't injured." Flynn concluded. "He's been out there since he crashed, injured and without supplies. I know there're people I would love to believe made it, but you have to face the facts. If he was still out there, he probably never made it."

"I just want to know." Scott muttered, a couple of tears starting to form. "Even if I do find out the worst, I want to know. I just can't get the thought of him being lost somewhere and needing my help."

"Look, I know this is messing with you, but you need to move on." Flynn told him. "Maybe you should talk to someone."

"I talked to a therapist the first time." Scott whispered. "How can I go back to a therapist now? Dad's sure to think I'm nuts."

"This is nothing to do with your dad." Flynn said reassuringly. "If you aren't ready to talk to him about this, then you don't have to. This is about you and what you need. Maybe it's time you let go."

Flynn got up and straightened out his jacket, before making his way towards his hummer. He turned back to him and smiled.

"I'm going to pick up Sam." He informed him. "If any of this has taught me one thing, it's that the most important thing isn't to mourn for those we've lost. It's to look after the ones we love that are still here."

"I guess you're right." Scott replied. "I'm just going for a drive to clear my head and think about a few things. Give Sam my love won't you?"

"I will." He replied, getting into his hummer. "I'll see you later."

Meanwhile, in the lab, Dr. K finished stitching up the incision after the operation. She had removed the implant successfully, and was storing it in a jar of spirit for further study. A small bleeping sound went off.

"What was that?" Ziggy asked her. Dr. K smiled as she heard the sound. Her curiosity had gotten the better of her upon finding Marcus' flight recording in Scott's jacket and she had opted to download a copy to her computer. The sound was a warning that the download was complete.

"It's nothing to worry about." She replied, beginning to unhitch the restraints. "Ranger Gr..."

Her words tailed off as she remembered her talk with Scott the night before.

"Ziggy, would you help me get her back to the chair?" She asked him. Ziggy looked at her a little bemused. She never used their names. It didn't seem like much, but he was so taken aback by the gesture, he didn't really know how to respond. Instead, he just took Tanaya's arm and helped Dr. K help her into the chair, where she began connecting up the support systems again.

"How are you feeling?" Ziggy asked her, making sure he didn't look at her. Dr. K began helping her into a gown.

"My chest hurts and my back hurts." She replied, smiling a little. Despite the pain, it was such a relief to have the feeling returned to her upper body. "Thank you."

"You understand of course that we'll have to keep you under surveillance." Dr. K told her, presenting a wide, silver cuff bracelet to her. "I designed this as a way of keeping track of you. It disengages the system which allows you to access the weapon in your right hand and separating it from your body. It also has a GPS tracking device in it. Would you give me your right wrist?"

Tanaya presented her wrist to her, allowing Dr. K to lock it in place. She stopped by the computer and took out the flight recording, slipping it back into Scott's jacket and gathering it up in her arms.

"I'll leave you to recover. I've programmed the unit to administer some painkillers to make you a little more comfortable." Dr. K informed her. "I'll be back to check on you tomorrow."

"Dr. K!" Ziggy called after her as she reached the door. She stopped and turned back to him. "Thanks."

"You're welcome Ran...Ziggy." She replied. With that she left the room. Ziggy turned back to Tanaya, seeing a small tear running down her face.

"Are you alright?" He asked her. "Does it hurt?"

"It's not that." She whispered to him. "It's just...you've all done so much to help me."

"No one deserves what Venjix has done to you." Ziggy responded, holding her hand gently. Tanaya smiled at the gesture, and a small, nervous laugh escaped from her lips. His touch was warm and gentle. It created a comforting feeling in her she had never felt within Venjix's compound.

"Will you stay with me?" She asked him. "I don't want to be alone."

"I will." He assured her, kneeling beside her. "Sorry about the clothing, we didn't have any other choice. I know the robe isn't exactly ideal."

"Don't worry; the catsuit isn't exactly something I'll miss." She replied. "It wasn't ideal in warm weather."

"I think Summer's about the same size as you. I'll ask her if there's something she wouldn't mind lending you." He told her. "There's no reason for you to be too uncomfortable."

"Thank you Ziggy." She replied with a smile. "You have no idea how much all this means to me."

"Tell you what, when you feel a little better, maybe you can make us another cake." He suggested. "The one you made for Summer's wedding was amazing."

"I think I could manage that." She replied as she held his hand a little more tightly. She was still a prisoner, but at least here she wasn't being treated with cruelty and disdain as she had been by Venjix. Here, her captors treated her with respect, care, and even kindness. She couldn't have hoped for that much.

Meanwhile, Dr. K went into Scott's room, looking around for him. She laid his jacket out on the bed and found a notepad, writing him a quick note. She was about to put it in the same pocket as the disk, but thought better of it. Instead, she sealed it in an envelope and laid it on top of the jacket. If Scott had wanted to talk to her about the disk, he would have told her he had it. He had obviously just forgotten it was in the pocket.

She turned and left the room, taking one more look at the jacket on the bed and smiled. She knew she had made the right choice for her team leader. He had done everything to keep the team together and functioning properly. She only hoped that at some point she could do something to repay him for everything he had done.


	15. Hypnotherapy Session 2

Dillon took Summer into the waiting room of Dr. Young's office for her next appointment. She turned to face him and looked up into his eyes.

"Thanks for giving me a ride." She said softly as she held his hands, gently stroking them. "You didn't have to walk me in."

"It's alright, I wanted to." He replied. "Just give me a call when you're ready to go back to The Garage."

Summer didn't say anything else. She just pulled him down, giving him a warm kiss. He smiled at her and turned to leave. Maxie, the receptionist let out a small whistle of approval, eyeing him up as he left.

"I can see why you're so desperate to get through therapy." She remarked cheekily. "If I had someone like that waiting for me, I'd have been pushing through it all too."

"He makes me feel good about myself." Summer said nervously, trying to hide a small blush. "I'd never met anyone like him."

"Well you shouldn't have had much trouble finding admirers." Maxie commented. "I remember seeing your picture in the magazines ages ago. Chas Winchester the Fourth seemed cute."

"Unfortunately there would have been three of us in that marriage." Summer joked weakly. "Chas, his ego and me in that order."

"It's a shame really, why do the cute ones always seem to know how cute they are?" Maxie asked her. Before she could answer, Dr. Young came through from his office, putting a couple of notes on her desk.

"Maxie, would you mind filing these away for me?" He asked her, before turning to Summer. "I wish all my patients were so punctual. Normally I have to drag them into their first few sessions."

"It depends who does the dragging how much they struggle." Maxie joked in reference to Dillon. She caught a slight look from Dr. Young and stopped there. "I'll file these away."

"It's alright; it often helps to have someone there for you." He assured her as he showed Summer into his office. She hung up her jacket and took a seat on the couch. "I guess Maxie approves of Dillon?"

"She seemed to like him." Summer answered him as he handed her a cup of water.

"How are things?" He asked her.

"There have been a couple of dramas lately." Summer admitted. "My friends and I kind of got into a fight with our boss, and we're all getting used to a new...house guest."

"These things can be trying." He said reassuringly, taking out his metronome and placing it on the desk.

"It sounds strange, but in a lot of ways I'm almost glad it happened." She responded. "It seemed to clear the air a little. Dillon and I took a ride out to the bay and just sat there watching the people go by. I talked to him a lot."

"It sounds like he's being very patient with you." Dr. Young said with a smile.

"He's really something special." Summer replied cheerfully, lying down and making herself comfortable. "He really respects me; he makes me feel really good about myself."

"Well it's important to have people like that in your life." He reminded her. "Are you ready to begin?"

"I am doctor." She replied as she closed her eyes and started to relax. Dr. Young started the rhythmical ticking of the metronome.

"I want you to follow the sound of my voice." He said soothingly. "You're entirely safe here; nothing you see can hurt you. You can end the session at any time. Just relax and follow the sound of my voice."

Summer slowed her breathing and felt herself beginning to slip away a little, finding herself in another state of consciousness. Images started to form in her mind.

"We began talking about your childhood, and you mentioned that your housekeeper, Mrs. Kitchner and her children were thrown out." He continued. "Are you comfortable to talk anymore about that?"

"After Mrs. Kitchner left, Andrews took over raising me." Summer told him. "Mom and dad had him under strict orders to do anything I said. They always told him to remember that there were plenty of others that would do his job, and that they had already fired Mrs. Kitchner. They then started making me spend time with a bunch of kids from the surrounding estates, all the other rich kids."

"What about Andrews?" He asked her. "How did you feel about him?"

"Mom and dad always taught me that he was only there to do what I said." She replied. "For a while I tried to be nice to him. He was always so sweet to me, he reminded me of Mrs. Kitchner, but any time they found me being nice to him they'd pull me aside and explain again and again that he was a servant. I still always had a soft spot for him, but it just got harder and harder to avoid my parents interfering. Before long, it was just easier to treat him that way."

"Your parents didn't want you to get close to the staff?" He asked her. Summer shook her head.

"They just kept telling me that I was a Landsdown, and that such people were beneath me. They were only there to serve us. They only wanted me to spend time with the other rich kids." She explained, recalling her childhood. "They kept pushing me to make friends with all their friend's kids. The girls anyway, the only boy they really let me spend any time with was Chas."

"Chas? You mean Chas Winchester the Fourth?" He asked her.

"I sometimes saw other boys, but he was the only one they let me spend much time with." She reiterated, recalling her childhood. "I had known him since I was young, the Winchesters and the Landsdowns had been friends for a long time."

"They wanted you to get along with him." Dr. Young surmised. "You were going to marry him at one time weren't you?"

"I eventually asked my mom why Chas was the only boy I was allowed to be with." Summer told him. "I went to a girl's school, but the Winchesters were around so much, it seemed like Chas was being forced on me. Even when he wasn't there, they'd talk about him all the time. It was always 'Chas won the big polo match,' or 'Chas just got straight A's on his report card.' It was like a non-stop advert for him. One night I asked mom about it. I must have been about 13 at the time. She finally told me that I had been arranged to marry him since I was 5."

"That must have been surprising to hear." He commented. "How did you feel about that?"

"I had mixed feelings about it. In a lot of ways I'd always kind of thought things were going that way. Chas was the only boy I spent a lot of time with. I have to admit I found him kind of cute at the time. I'd never really considered the idea of thinking about another boy that way." She explained. "When she told me that, a lot of things made sense. I was shocked that I wasn't getting a choice in the matter, but in a lot of ways I'd made the choice myself earlier..."

"Had you?" Dr. Young asked her. "You said you had mixed feelings about it, but so far you haven't said anything about why you weren't happy about it."

"I guess I didn't like the fact that they had chosen him for me." Summer replied. "I knew he was a catch, they had made sure I knew that since I was a kid. They took every opportunity to tell me so, they..."

Her words tailed off a little, and her brows furrowed as she found herself back in the drawing room with her mother, discussing the revelation that she had been promised to another man when she was barely able to walk.

"No, I wasn't happy, not in the slightest." Summer responded. "When mom told me I screamed at her. It had been a long time since I had raised my voice to my parents. I never dared to, that was their number one rule."

"Why were you angry?" Dr. Young asked her.

"She had manipulated me. She had kept me isolated, stopped me meeting other kids and making friends with other boys." Summer mumbled a little. "I had been arranged for more than just marriage, they had set up my whole life to make sure I chose him. Mom slapped me when I told her I wouldn't marry him. She then poured me a glass of brandy. It was the first time she ever let me drink."

"What did she say after that?" He asked her.

"She sat me down and explained that this was just the way the world was." Summer told him. "She told me that she and dad had been arranged by their parents. She told me it was expected of them that I marry into a good family. The Landsdown name had to be kept in the esteem it had earned over the generations. I couldn't believe that after being made to marry that mom would want me to go through the same thing. I felt so betrayed, but I couldn't help feeling sorry for her. All those arguments seemed to make a lot more sense. They didn't love each other when they got married. In a lot of ways, I don't know if they ever did."

"It must have taken a long time for you to get over that." He said sympathetically.

"In time I just came to accept that my future was with Chas." She replied, a tear beginning to run down her face. "I felt like an object, like I wasn't meant to be cared for. I resisted for a while, started to act up, but it was just too hard to break away. In time I just gave up and accepted my fate."

"You said everything changed after Mrs. Kitchner and her kids left." Dr. Young reminded her. "Summer, you need to tell me, what happened to them?"

"I can't." She whimpered. "I don't want to."

"Summer, that was a turning point in your life." Dr. Young reiterated. "What happened that made your dad fire them?"

"It was my fault!" She sobbed, her hand straying to her face. "It was my fault she was fired..."

"What did you do Summer?" He asked her.

"I kissed Freddy!" She replied in a couple of sniffs as she wiped away some tears. "I kissed her son."

Her mind rushed back to that day, reliving it in detail.

"I was playing with Freddy and Julie as usual. They were playing with me out in the garden when it started raining. We were caught in it and we were soaked. We ran inside where Mrs. Kitchner took our wet clothes and dried us off. I can remember sitting with them in front of the fire. She made us some hot chocolate, the expensive Belgian stuff mom always hid in the top cupboard for when company came round, but we all promised not to tell." She remembered the day. "We were sitting there in the sitting room, trying to come up with something to do until the rain passed. It was then that I found myself suggesting something. I...I'd never seen a boy naked before. I had seen Freddy when his mom took his clothes off to get him dry. I was a little embarrassed. Of course knew that boys and girls were different, but I hadn't actually seen it. Julie said we should show each other."

"So you played doctors and nurses?" Dr. Young asked her. She nodded.

"I was just curious. He opened his dressing gown and I opened mine. We just looked at each other." She explained. "I felt something for him; we had a little moment there. Once we got dressed again, I asked him to kiss me. Dad came in and found us kissing each other."

"He didn't approve." Dr. Young concluded.

"He went completely ballistic; I'd never seen him so angry. I don't think I've ever seen him so angry." She explained. "He grabbed Freddy and Julie and dragged them into the kitchen where Mrs. Kitchner was washing the dishes. He screamed so loud I was terrified. He accused Freddy of corrupting me, he said she had betrayed the trust he put in her and he told her she was fired."

"You said you tried to stop him..."

"I tried to explain that I kissed Freddy." Summer informed him. "I begged him not to send them away. I told him it was my fault, but he wouldn't listen. If anything that made him angrier. After he'd gotten Andrews to throw them out, he dragged me into my bedroom. He screamed at me for hours about how Landsdowns were expected to act and told me I'd brought shame on the family. He pulled off his belt and started hitting me with it. I begged him to stop, he was so angry I thought he would never stop hitting me. He'd never hit me before in my life, it was the only time he ever raised a hand to me. Eventually he calmed down enough to tell me that I'd never see Mrs. Kitchner and her kids again. He locked me in my bedroom for days afterwards. I couldn't stop crying for hours."

"Your father had no right to do that to you." Dr. Young assured her, taking a seat next to her and placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You did nothing wrong. You were a child and you were curious. It's a natural part of growing up."

"Dad didn't think so." Summer commented. "He was paranoid that his arranged marriage would be ruined if anything happened to me. He didn't want me to be 'devalued' as far as the Winchesters were concerned. He cared more about what they thought than he did about me."

"It may have seemed that way, but your father was raised that way. He might not have known any better." Dr. Young explained. "In his own way he probably thought he was doing what was best. He probably thought having you married to Chas would ensure you were looked after and got scared when something looked like it might disrupt that plan."

"Please, I want to stop." Summer told him. "It's too hard, please, I want to stop."

"It's alright Summer, we won't go any further today." He said reassuringly, starting the metronome again. "Just follow my voice. By the time the metronome stops, you will be back in the present. You're safe here, there's nothing to be scared of. Just follow my voice and start to wake up."

Summer's eyes fluttered open, and she found herself once again back in the familiar and comforting surroundings of Dr. Young's office. He smiled at her as she sat upright, offering her a tissue, which she accepted, beginning to dry her eyes.

"We covered a lot of ground today, you should be proud of yourself." He complimented her. "Take your time. I can see you're upset."

"I had almost forgotten all about that." Summer commented. "It's like someone had locked a door that I couldn't open."

"Often our mind prevents us remembering what is painful or that we don't understand." Dr. Young explained. "You told me you were only 10 when your housekeeper was fired. Of course you weren't able to understand why your dad was so angry. You did nothing wrong."

"But when I remembered, I felt like..."

"In some ways you probably did blame yourself." Dr. Young interrupted her. "You weren't to blame. It was your dad's decision to fire her, his and no one else's."

"I can't believe I was so weak as to go along with the wedding to Chas." Summer commented. "I remember for long enough, wanting to marry him."

"It was a difficult thing to cope with. You probably convinced yourself you wanted it to make it easier to deal with." He suggested. "Anyway, it's about time to end the session here. Is there someone who can take you home?"

"Dillon asked me to call him when I was finished here." She replied. "Should I make another appointment?"

"Just talk to Maxie while you're waiting. I'm sure I'll have an appointment free next week." He assured her. "I'll see you next time."

Summer made her way back into the reception area, finding Maxie sorting through a few files.

"How are you feeling?" She asked her.

"You know, I'll never get over how good I can feel after crying so much." Summer told her. "It's bizarre."

"Everyone always finds that a little unusual, but we all need to let it out once in a while." Maxie told her. "Anyway, would you like me to pencil you in for another appointment?"

"Sure, when do you have available?" Summer asked her.

"Dr. Young has an opening in three days." She replied. "The appointment's at midday. Is that good for you?"

"That sounds ideal." Summer replied, pulling on her jacket. "I just need to call Dillon and arrange my ride home."

"Would you like to use the phone?" Maxie asked her, gesturing to the phone on the desk.

"Dillon doesn't have a cell phone." Summer replied, pulling out her morpher and gesturing to it. "Dillon? It's me, would you mind coming to pick me up?...Thanks."

"Oh, Summer, would you mind doing me one favour when you come next time?" Maxie asked her.

"What would that be Maxie?" Summer asked her, a slight smile coming to her lips as she kind of saw where this was going.

"Have that Black Ranger of yours drop you off again." She replied cheekily.

"I'll try, but just remember, you only get to look." Summer reminded her. "No touching."

"I'm not going to promise anything." Maxie stated. "You just take care of yourself."

"Thanks Maxie." Summer replied as she headed out the door, fixing her hair. "I will."


	16. The Order of Corinth

Scott came into Dr. K's lab, finding her working hard as usual on a project. At times he wondered if she ever stopped working. She always seemed to have half a dozen schematics or simulations running on the computers, several projects awaiting a road-test on the practice range, one or two marked as ready for field testing and literally hundreds of random pieces in various stages of progress littering the benches all around the lab. With the exception of the 'in-progress' benches, everything was meticulously racked away and surgically clean. It was just one of her little eccentricities that she had an almost obsessive need for order. If there was one tool, or even so much as a screw in the wrong place, she went into a foul mood for most of the day. Scott knew that it was at least partly down to the fact she had Asperger Syndrome, a fact that she had only really shared with him.

She was working away on something at her favourite work bench. She was completely lost in the task at hand, working away on her latest project. He crossed the room, coming over behind her and coughed to attract her attention. Unfortunately because she was working with power tools she couldn't hear him. Finally giving up on attracting her attention through normal means, he reached over and hit the emergency power switch on the desk, shutting down the tool in her hands. Dr. K looked at it a little puzzled, before looking around, finding him standing by the power switch.

"Ranger Se...Scott." She began, correcting herself as she saw him. She was still trying hard to get used to calling the Rangers by their names and not their Ranger designations. It was something that was taking a little getting used to. She had to reverse a habit she'd had for well over a year. Habits were hard to break for her. "Why did you turn off the power?"

"I found my jacket in my bedroom." He told her nervously. He had been somewhat neurotic about the fact he had lost the flight recording earlier. He had completely forgotten that it was in his jacket pocket when he spoke to Dr. K on the roof.

It was a cold night, and he had lent her his jacket for warmth. When she had returned the jacket to his bedroom, he had found the disk in the pocket. He wanted to just believe that she hadn't found it, but he couldn't be certain. She had been brought up in the Alphabet Soup programme for most of her life, and had a deeply set sense of commitment to the Government. He knew that by procedure he was meant to turn it in to central command. If she had found it, she would have turned it in, and likely reported him for not doing so wouldn't she? He wanted to ask her to be sure, but he couldn't really. If she hadn't found it, then he would only incriminate himself if he said anything. He hoped to gauge her reaction, hoping she would give herself away.

"Thank you for lending it to me." Dr. K answered him, putting down her power tool. "It was quite cold that night."

"I'm just glad I could make you feel better." He replied. "We all need to hang onto things that make us feel better."

Dr. K saw through this statement. He was talking about the flight recording she had found in his jacket. She knew she should turn it in, but after he had taken the time to talk to her and convince her to stay with Project Ranger, it just didn't seem right to do so. If he was holding onto it, it was obviously important to him. She felt a little guilty about uploading a copy onto the computer; sometimes her curiosity got the better of her. She didn't want to admit that she had found the recording, much less copied it. She felt like she owed him something after the time he spent with her, she couldn't turn him in to his father. Of course she also couldn't admit she knew about the recording. That would risk him turning his back on her, and she couldn't bear to feel that lonely again.

"I suppose we do." She responded, turning back to her work. Scott looked to the bench, seeing her working on some form of blade.

"Is that a new weapon?" He asked her.

"In a manner of speaking it is." She answered him, taking the blade carefully and setting it aside. "It's nothing to do with Project Ranger though, this is for central command."

"Central command wants you to make blades?" Scott asked her. "They do know that blasters have been invented right?"

"They do, but these weapons are ceremonial." She informed him. She saw the slightly curious look on his face and decided to satisfy his curiosity. She opened one of three polished mahogany cases sitting on the bench next to her and handed him a sword.

It was highly ornate, with a gold hilt and hand guard, and a leather-bound handle. The scabbard was inlaid with a Latin inscription in what appeared to be gold leaf.

"These are nice." He remarked. "May I?"

"By all means." She replied. He drew the sword and inspected the blade. The same Latin inscription was traces down the length of the gleaming blade. It was about four feet from the tip to the end of the handle, and felt almost weightless in his hand. He smiled as he inspected it.

"These are beautiful." He complimented her. "I never knew you were into stuff like this."

"In order to make weapons, one must have an appreciation for all weapons." She told him. She gave a nervous little smile. "I also have to admit loving a lot of the old stories. When I was asked to make these ceremonial swords, I jumped at the chance."

"What does the inscription say?" He asked her.

"When a soldier was given a knighthood in ancient times, he was made to take an oath on his sword." She explained. "The legend has it that if he failed in his duty to protect the innocent through cowardice, then he dishonoured his sword and it would fail him in battle. The inscription is that oath."

"It seems pretty sharp." He commented. "I thought it was a ceremonial weapon?"

"Just because it's ceremonial doesn't mean I can't take a level of pride in it." She explained, reaching out a hand to take the sword from him. She began to swing it around. "It's a titanium alloy that I've designed, salvaged from Venjix technology. It's virtually weightless, but can withstand a force of over 800,000 Newtons."

"That's way more than a human can exert." He responded.

"That's correct Scott." She stated. "I've used laser technology to hone the blade to an almost molecular level. In short, these are pretty serious weapons in their own right."

With that, she gestured to a steel bar on the bench.

"Hold that please." She instructed him. Scott shrugged and picked it up as he was instructed. She swung the sword, easily slicing it in half. As Scott put the two pieces back onto the table, inspecting them in disbelief, she showed him the blade.

"Not a scratch on it." He remarked in a gasp. "You are seriously good doc."

"Thank you Ranger Red." She responded, putting the sword back in its scabbard and putting it back in the case. "I just need to finish this one other sword and I'll be finished with this order."

"What order?" He asked her.

"Central Command is holding a ceremony in a few weeks to honour the defenders of Corinth and commemorate those who didn't make it during the evacuation." She informed him. "The rest you'll have to find out in due course like everyone else."

"Come on doc, you can't leave me hanging like that." He said, flashing his huge, bright grin. "You're making ceremonial swords. Normally they're only presented when someone's made an officer or..."

"They will be presenting military honours at the ceremony." She informed him. "A new medal they've created, the Order of Corinth. Four will be honoured for their part in the evacuation and defence of Corinth."

"Well there're plenty of people who deserve that." He replied. "Do you know who?"

"I'm glad you like that sword." She said, pointing to the case she'd just put the sword in. "That one's yours."

"You're kidding right?" He yelled, his excitement obvious. "I'm being given the Order of Corinth?"

"You are indeed." She replied as he tried to restrain himself. "You're father is receiving one for leading the ground forces, and you're receiving one for your part in the aerial battle."

She let out a little sigh and rolled her eyes as she prepared for the next part.

"Summer's ex, Chas, is receiving one for his part in the organisation of the evacuation." She said with more than a little sarcasm. "Central Command thought he deserved it for his work behind the scenes."

"He worked behind the scenes alright." Scott said with a little anger. "He was about 10 miles behind the scenes! He was in the office way behind the shields! There are dozens of others that deserve it more than him!"

"Scott, you know as well as I do there are always politics involved in decisions like this." She reminded him. "He's an officer, and the Winchesters lent the Government a considerable amount of money when they were building the shields. They couldn't snub him by passing him over for this honour."

"Who's the fourth?" Scott asked her. "You said you were making four swords."

Dr. K let out a small sigh.

"The fourth is for Marcus." She told him. "He's being honoured posthumously for his part in leading the air defences."

It upset Scott a little conflicted to hear this. He was upset hearing his brother's name again. Because of the flight recording, he had been thinking about Marcus a lot. He still felt his loss deeply any time he was reminded of the fact he hadn't seen him since they had taken off on their mission to defend Corinth. Of course he more than anyone knew that he deserved to be honoured for his service to the city. It just didn't seem fair that he would be there to receive his medal in person and Marcus wouldn't.

"It's only right." Scott remarked a little sadly. "He's the Hero of Corinth. He deserves to get that honour."

Dr. K didn't know what to do in this situation. She still had a little difficulty with emotional situations. She tried as hard as she could to find something comforting to say to him.

"I know this must be hard." She said softly. "Marcus would want this for you."

"I know he would." He replied. "It just sucks that he won't be there when dad and I are honoured. Instead all I'll be able to think about is the fact I'll be sharing a podium with Chas!"

"It's alright; I know it's upsetting that Chas will be on the stage." She assured him. "When they put that sword on display on the memorial for Marcus, who do you really think is going to care about Chas?"

"I guess that's true." Scott agreed. "I just really wish he could be there."

"I know you do." Dr. K replied. "Thanks again for lending me your jacket."

"Thanks for returning it." Scott said as he started to back towards the door. "It means a lot."

"I know it does." She replied, referring more to the recording than the jacket. "Just try to look forward to this; it doesn't do us any good to hang onto the past too much. I'm sure Ran...Summer would be able to tell you that."

Scott just smiled at her and left the lab, leaving her to her work. Despite everything, he still couldn't shake the hope that Marcus would one day return. Until then, all he could do was be happy that if he had died, he hadn't done so in vain. The people of Corinth were showing him their appreciation. He was the Hero of Corinth, and in a few weeks time, the day would be all about him.

Meanwhile, Dillon took Summer over to her parent's apartment, parking his car outside. Her latest hypnotherapy session had brought more than a few things to the surface concerning her parents that she had long since buried. Now though, she wanted some answers. Dillon killed the engine and turned to look at her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked her. "They are your parents."

"There are so many questions that only they have the answers to." She replied quietly. "I need to know the answers, even if I don't like them."

"Do you want me to come with you?" He asked her. Summer thought about it for a while. She really did want him to be there for her. When he was nearby, she felt protected and she felt so much stronger. Of course she also knew that if he had a fault, he was too protective. He was right about one thing, she might have to ask some uncomfortable questions, and she would certainly have to hear some answers that would be far from pleasant to hear. She knew he would jump to her defence if he saw her starting to become upset, and given his attitude and his defiance when he met her parents originally, they would be reluctant to talk around him.

"If I'm going to do this, I need to do it alone." She told him, fidgeting with her bracelets nervously. "If I can't face this myself, I don't know if I'll ever be able to."

"Well you know I'm here." He reminded her. "If it gets to be too much in there, just let me know and I'll come in and collect you."

"I love you, you know that right?" She asked him. Dillon gave her a smile that warmed her heart when she saw it and leaned in, kissing her cheek.

"I love you too." He responded. "I'll be waiting right here."

Summer took a deep breath and got out of the car, making her way up the path towards the apartment block. Since they were bankrupt, her parents had been allocated a standard apartment. It wasn't a bad neighbourhood, there really weren't any bad neighbourhoods in Corinth, but it was the kind of neighbourhood they'd never have even gone near given the choice back at the height of their fortune. It was "the slums" as far as they were concerned, somewhere normal people lived. Of course, now they had fallen down to earth with a bump and had become normal people as a result of losing everything.

She made her way inside and hit the call button on the elevator, taking it up to the fifth floor. Making her way to the door, she took another deep breath. It would be the first time she had seen them since her aborted wedding to Chas, and she was going to be confronting them over their treatment of her as a child. She rang the bell, and a short time later her father answered.

"Summer darling, this is a wonderful surprise." He greeted her, hugging her. She returned the gesture half-heartedly.

"Can I come in?" She asked him. "I really need to talk to you about some things."

"Of course you can." He answered, showing her inside. "Please, come in."

Summer made her way inside, finding her mother in a position she would never have foreseen her in. She was actually in the kitchen cooking dinner. She clearly had more than a little to learn about domestic work, but given the life she had before it was a miraculous change.

"Sweetie, how are you?" She gushed, running over to her daughter and hugging her. Again, Summer returned the gesture politely, though half-heartedly.

"I've been better." She admitted. "How have the two of you been?"

"Well things could be worse." Her father told her honestly. "I might not have my own business anymore, but my previous experience opened a surprising number of opportunities. I've managed to get an accounting job for the Government."

"I've managed to get a job on a nearby farm." Her mother chipped in. "I wasn't qualified for much, but I'm getting used to a career in agriculture."

"So what's wrong honey?" Her father asked her. "What can we help you with?"

"Ever since I got out of prison, I've been having a few problems." She began, taking a seat on the easy chair across from the couch. Her parents looked a little uncomfortable at the mention of this. It was still a painful subject for them. "I've been seeing a therapist."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Her mother asked her. Summer took a deep sigh and prepared to begin.

"The thing is, a lot of things have come up in my sessions that I need to talk to you about." She started, struggling to find the words. "There're some things about when I was a kid..."

"Honey, you know we're sorry about trying to force you to marry Chas." Mrs. Landsdown interrupted her. "It wasn't long ago you'd have jumped at the chance. We thought you wanted it as much as we did, but when we saw who you are now, we knew we were wrong. We've already said we're sorry for that."

"No mom, it goes a lot deeper than that." Summer stated flatly. "Some of my problems are rooted in a lot of stuff I'd forgotten about, stuff that happened long before then."

"Sweetheart, we know that we've made mistakes." Mr Landsdown assured her. "We're all different people know. We've all changed as a result of what's happened. We always did what we thought was right, even when it was based on outdated beliefs."

"Dad, I'm sorry but I need to talk about some stuff that's going to be uncomfortable." She whispered. She looked into his eyes, hoping for years of answers. "Dad, do you and mom love me?"


	17. Parents

Mr and Mrs Landsdown sat, staring at their daughter in disbelief. It seemed as though hours passed as they tried to fathom what could have led her to ask something like that. She had left them dumbfounded by coming over for the first time since her aborted wedding and asked them if they loved her.

"Honey, how could you possibly ask that?" Her father finally responded. "Of course we love you..."

"Then why didn't you come to my trial?" She asked them. "In all the time I was in prison you never once applied for a visitation pass. You didn't come to see me after I was released..."

"Would you have seen us?" Her mother interrupted her. "Summer, we wanted nothing more than to help you, but you were so angry after the wedding. We didn't think you'd want to see us."

"Mom, do you remember the day you told me I was meant to marry Chas?" Summer continued.

"Of course I do." She responded. "We came to The Garage..."

"No, not when you tried to force me to marry him." She interjected. "When I was 13, the first time you told me."

Mr and Mrs Landsdown looked at each other for a second, trying to get their thoughts together. It had been so long since then; it had been an issue that had never been raised. Because of their constant travelling and busy schedules, they had a habit of simply never discussing such things. Summer had never brought that up to her mother again, she just seemed to accept it and move on.

"You shouldn't upset yourself like that." Mrs Landsdown told her.

"Do you remember it?" Summer asked a little more forcefully. Mrs Landsdown looked down to her feet and nodded.

"I explained we had arranged the wedding." She responded.

"You betrayed me!" Summer snapped, her anger flaring up in her. "You made a decision for me and you manipulated my whole life to make it happen!"

"Summer, we only did what we thought was best for you." She replied, her regret obvious in her tone.

"You slapped me in the face!" Summer shot back. "When I told you I didn't want to do it you slapped me!"

"I told you then that I was sorry." Her mother assured her. "I couldn't believe it myself when I hit you. It's the only time I've ever raised my hand to you."

"I never got to make a decision for myself until the evacuation." Summer said bitterly. "You never let me do anything that would risk spoiling your plans to marry me off."

"We only wanted to make sure you would be taken care of." Her father added. "We know we're not going to be around forever. We knew that if you married Chas you would be taken care of."

"The way you and mom took care of me?" Summer muttered under her breath. Her dad reached out to her, touching her cheek gently.

"We did what we thought was best, we were wrong, we know that." He explained. "My parents raised me almost exactly the same way. I saw your grandfather maybe twice a month my whole life."

"So why did you put me through that?" Summer asked him, knocking his hand away.

"I did the same thing because I didn't know any better." He told her. "It was just the way my family did things. I never learned how to raise you properly, so I let Andrews do it."

"No one teaches you how to raise kids dad, most people just learn." She snapped. "Andrews was the closest thing I had to a parent. He died while he was getting me to the city. He was killed protecting me from Grinders and I didn't even know his first name!"

"Summer..."

"The reason I didn't know his name was because I never asked! I never asked because you always taught me to treat him like a servant!" She screamed at him. "You never wanted me to get close to anyone!"

"That isn't true." Mrs. Landsdown chipped in. "We wanted you to be happy."

"You fired Mrs. Kitchner because I kissed her son." Summer stated. "You were so scared I might have feelings for him and screw up your plans for the wedding that you fired her and threw them out."

"You remember that?" Mr Landsdown asked her, looking horrified at the memory.

"I do now." She replied. "I also remember you beating the crap out of me and screaming at me!"

Mr Landsdown turned as white as a sheet as she said this and buried his face in his hands, visibly rattled by the memory. His wife put an arm around him, holding him.

"I'm so sorry." He mumbled. "It's the only time I've ever hit you. I was so scared and confused that I lost control. I hated myself for doing it, I was so ashamed of myself I couldn't look at you for months afterwards. It was just too painful to remember what I'd done to you. I've still never forgiven myself for that."

"Your father was devastated." Mrs Landsdown told her daughter. "For weeks afterwards he couldn't sleep. He was in pieces over it."

"I'm so sorry honey." He sobbed, overcome with one of the worst memories of his life.

"Do you want to know the thing that hurt me the most?" Summer asked him. "Ronan."

"Sweetheart..."

"I told you what he did to me." Summer reminded him. "I came to you when he started harassing me."

"Summer, we're sorry about that." Mrs Landsdown told her.

"You were so worried about what the Winchesters would think you told me to keep it quiet." Summer stated bitterly. "I never made a complaint against him because you told me not to. Even after he attacked me and almost raped me you still insisted I didn't press charges because you thought Chas wouldn't want me."

She shifted closer to them, looking intently between her mother and father. "I told you what he did to me. I needed you."

"We'll never forgive ourselves for that." Her mother whimpered as tears began to form in her eyes. "We've treated you terribly. We know you'll never be able to forgive us."

"When you were released from prison we couldn't face you." Her father stated. "We were so ashamed of ourselves for not supporting you the first time, we were certain you'd blame us."

"We know we haven't treated you fairly." Mrs Landsdown reiterated. "We only knew how to raise you the way we were raised. We love you."

"What about each other?" Summer asked them. "You were made to marry each other. You didn't love each other."

"That doesn't mean we don't love you." Mrs. Landsdown assured her. "We got married for all the wrong reasons. We didn't love each other, that's why we argued so much. We made each other miserable. The only thing that made it all worthwhile was having you."

Summer rolled her eyes and turned her face from them. As much as she wanted these answers, she was beginning to think this was a bad idea. All she felt was anger. Her father reached forward, taking her hands softly in his.

"Summer, you're the only good thing that's come out of this whole mess." He said in a soothing tone. "I'll never forget the day you were born. You were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I was just so scared because I didn't know what to do or how to raise you."

"Everyone goes through the same thing." Summer replied. "You've lived a lie my whole life. You would never have gotten together if it wasn't for all this bloodline crap."

"We wouldn't have." Her mother agreed, taking Mr Landsdown's hand, lacing her fingers with his. "That doesn't mean we aren't happy we did. You're the only good thing we've done. Please don't hate us."

"Mom?" Summer asked, noticing the closeness between her parents. It was something she wasn't used to. Her parents had been so cold and isolated for most of her life. In all the years she had been with them she could barely remember them even touching each other.

"We separated for a while, but because we have no money we couldn't afford another apartment. We had to live with each other." Her father explained. "Over time, we got talking, and we supported each other. In the end, we fell in love."

"You're right; we got together for all the wrong reasons." Mrs Landsdown told her daughter. "But I guess we were lucky, because now we're together, I couldn't imagine us being any other way."

"I suppose you could say it took us losing everything to realise what we always had." Her father said with a smile. "We always thought that having money and position was everything. In the end, the only thing that mattered was what no one could take away from us, and that's you."

Summer looked between her parents, a little stunned by what they had just told her. This was pretty much the last thing she'd ever have expected from them. She wasn't able to stop herself from crying as she came across to them, throwing her arms around them.

"We're so sorry for everything honey!" Her mother wailed as they both embraced her. "We'll understand if you can't forgive us, but please don't turn your back on us. It would kill us, you're everything to us."

"I'm angry but I can't hate you, you're my parents!" She responded. "I'll try; I'll really try to get through this."

"Well you know we'll be right here for you." Her father whispered in her ear. "You know you have us."

"So is that Black Ranger taking good care of you?" Her mother asked her. Summer released them and looked at her mother with a little smirk as she wiped away her tears.

"I never told you about me and Dillon." She remarked. "How did you know?"

"Please, I gave birth to you, I know you." Her mother replied. "I saw the way you looked at him at the wedding, we both did."

"We both saw the way he looked at you." Her father added. "He seems like a good man."

"He is." Summer said with a small blush. "He's been great with me through all of this. I love him."

"Well that's more than enough for us." Mrs Landsdown stated flatly. "Anyone that makes our little girl happy is fine by us."

She got up, wiping her eyes again as she prepared to leave. Her parents got up with her, showing her out.

"Summer, would you do us one favour?" Her father asked her. "When the time is right for you, when you're feeling a little stronger, bring him around. We'd love to get to know him better."

"I'll see what I can do." Summer told them. "He doesn't play well with others."

"Well as long as he plays better at dinner parties than he does at pool." Her father said in a laugh, recalling the first time he met him, mistaking him for a servant. Dillon had taken the pool cue he had given him and snapped it in half to make a point. "I know he'll look after you, far better than Chas would have. I still can't believe he's being honoured."

"Chas is being honoured?" Summer asked, looking a little puzzled. Her parents looked at each other for a second.

"We heard through the grapevine about an awards ceremony in a few weeks." He told her. "Colonel Truman, Marcus Truman, Scott Truman and Chas are being awarded medals for their part in the evacuation."

"What part did Chas play?" Summer asked indignantly. "He spent the whole day cowering behind the shields!"

"We all know that, but you have to remember that the Winchesters lent the Government a lot of money when they were building the shields. They quite literally own a large part of the dome. They couldn't have snubbed Chas."

"He's determined to make it his day." Her mother stated, fishing out a newspaper and handing it to Summer. "He's planning to announce his engagement to Brie then."

"Chas is marrying Brie?" Summer asked them. "He's marrying the vacuous cow that shoved me out of the transport truck?"

"You have to understand, when he was snubbed at the wedding, the Winchesters lost a lot of face." Her father explained. "Brie's from an old money family, and nowhere near smart enough to turn him down. She wanted to marry him long before this all happened."

"Well I guess it's good they found each other." Summer muttered. "They deserve each other."

"I couldn't agree more." Her mother said with a large smile, putting her arm around Summer. "He didn't deserve you."

Meanwhile, Tanaya was sitting in her chair, looking around the room thoroughly bored. She was still paraplegic since Dr. K hadn't yet removed the implant in her lower spine, and she was still hooked up to all of Dr. K's support systems to ensure all of her biological functions were taken care of. Ziggy rounded the door, knocking it gently. Tanaya smiled as she saw him.

"I brought a couple of things like I promised." He told her, showing her a bundle of clothes. "Summer said she doesn't wear these anymore."

"Thank you." She replied. "You've been very kind."

"What can I say; I hate to see people in trouble." He replied. "Why are you smiling?"

"You called me a person." Tanaya answered. "You really think of me as a person, don't you?"

"Well you are aren't you?" He asked her, putting the clothes down and looking out a pair of jeans. "You're like Dillon; you're a person with a little...extra hardware."

"I suppose it could be phrased like that." She responded, nodding as she saw the denims in his hands. "I just didn't expect you to see me like that. Your boss made it pretty clear she doesn't like me."

"She was like that with me at first too." Ziggy assured her. "She isn't really a people person."

"Why do you spend this time with me?" Tanaya asked him. "After everything I've done, why do you keep helping me?"

"What can I say; I believe everyone deserves a chance." He told her, finding a pair of underpants in the pile of clothes, and dropping them again, blushing as he did so. "I haven't always made the smartest choices in life, and I turned out alright. If I can turn around, then anyone can. It took a while, but now I'm a part of the team..."

"Something tells me I'll never be a part of the team." She interrupted him as she pointed to the underpants. Ziggy handed them to her and turned his back as she struggled to put them on.

"You could be." He commented. "More importantly than that, I can see that there's a good person in you. Even if you don't become a Ranger, there are plenty of ways you could help."

"I like children." She told him, thinking back to the times her heart had led her to her defiance of Venjix's commands. "I can't explain it, but I just have this feeling inside me any time I see them that makes me feel good about myself."

"They have that effect on a lot of people." Ziggy told her. "Maybe when you're better I'll take you back to the orphanage to see them."

"You don't think they'll be scared?" Tanaya asked him. "I mean the last couple of times I was there I was anything but friendly."

"You were wearing the visor and the catsuit back then." He reminded her. "I doubt they'll recognise you. Trust me; the kids love it any time they have someone new to play with."

"I'd really like that." Tanaya told him with a huge grin. "Of course you'll have to convince Dr. K."

"You let me worry about that." Ziggy told her. He tapped her restraining bracelet with his finger. "As long as you wear that, she'll know where you are."

"I can't remove it." Tanaya reminded him. "Even if I could, it's not like there's anywhere I could go. Venjix would likely put the implants back in, or destroy me. Either way I know my end would be inevitable. I'm sure I'd be made to suffer either way."

Ziggy cradled her chin gently with his hand and lifted it to make her look up into his face.

"Your suffering is over." He said reassuringly. "I'll make sure of that."

"Really?" Tanaya asked him.

"Really." He responded. With that, he picked up the jeans and started preparing them, lifting her feet and placing them in the trouser legs. "I only have one question."

"What would that be?" Tanaya asked him.

"Why do you whistle before you attack?" He asked her. Tanaya smiled a little as she lifted herself off the chair enough for him to pull up the trousers.

"I don't know, it's just a habit I had." She responded. "I had that tune in my head for some reason, and I just whistle it at times."

"I guess Dillon has more than a few little quirks." Ziggy commented, picking out a t-shirt for her. He handed it to her and turned his back. "He doesn't remember anything before the implants either."

"Why do you turn away from me?" She asked him, pulling off her robe. "Is there something wrong with my body that you can't look at it?"

"No, there's nothing wrong with your body." He stammered a little nervously, praying that she would get dressed soon so he could speak with her normally. "It's just that...I'm not used to seeing girl's bodies, that's all."

"So you don't think I'm hideous?" She asked him, pulling on the t-shirt. "I'm not some kind of freak to you?"

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with being a freak." He responded in a chuckle. "I've been a freak my whole life, I'm used to it."

"So why can't you look at me?" She asked him, Ziggy breathed a sigh as he tried to think of a way to answer.

"I'd just be more comfortable when you're completely healed." He answered. "Are you dressed yet?"

Tanaya got a slightly mischievous grin on her face and pulled her T-shirt off. "I am now."

Ziggy turned around, and seeing her half-naked form, he staggered backwards, tripping over a work bench and hitting the floor hard. Tanaya pulled her t-shirt on and rolled her wheelchair over to him, looking down at him.

"Ziggy, are you alright?" She asked him. He smiled up at her from the floor.

"I am now." He replied with a grin. "I am now."


	18. Meet the Winchesters

Flynn came into Scott's room, finding him laying out a dress uniform gently, inspecting it. He had left the air force to take part in Project Ranger quite a while ago, and so it had been a long time since he had worn it. He was inspecting it carefully making sure it was clean and pressed.

"Are you sure it'll still fit?" Flynn asked him. Scott looked around, seeing him and threw a pillow at him, before turning back to the uniform with a smile.

"You know it's almost three years since I've worn this." He informed him. "I only wore it once; it was the day I graduated from the academy. I was drafted into service for the evacuations shortly afterwards."

"Summer told me a little about that." He replied. "She graduated at the same time as you right?"

"We graduated from the academies the same day." He informed him. "We had been good friends throughout our time there."

"You know that's one thing I don't get." He said, taking a seat on his own bed. "Summer was raised to be married off to Chad, why did they send her to the military academy?"

"It was their idea." He informed him. "They wanted her to learn some discipline. I'm sure you noticed she has a...lively spirit. They thought the military academy would curb that."

"Letting a livewire like Summer play with guns and explosives all day?" Flynn chuckled. "Oh yeah, that was sure to calm her down."

"We met on the first day. I went into the air force, and she went into the administrative corp..."

"The same branch as Chas?" Flynn asked him. Scott suddenly got a little smirk.

"OK, now I get what they were trying to do." He stated as he realised their plan. "She never lost her wild streak though."

"I'd kind of noticed." Flynn replied.

"I figured since everyone else is going in dress fatigues I'd make an effort." Scott stated, turning his attention back to the uniform. "It'll feel strange to wear it again, but I think it'll mean a lot."

"I'm sure it will." Flynn stated. "Your dad would probably like to see you in military garb again."

He didn't need to say anything further. Since Scott was no longer in the air force, he was not required to attend in uniform, only in formal dress. He had already guessed that a large part of why he wanted to wear it was because Marcus would not be there. He knew nothing would have made his father prouder than to be on the stage with his son as they received their commendations. It was also one of the reasons he wanted to talk to Scott. He already knew about the flight recording. Scott had confided in him that he had his suspicions Marcus was still alive, and while he assured him he wouldn't obsess over it; Flynn was still a little concerned that he wouldn't be able to keep his thoughts straight. When he had heard about the ceremony, he knew that it would just bring everything back.

"How's Sam?" He asked the Blue Ranger.

"She's getting a lot stronger." Flynn told him. "She still needs the crutches, but she's getting around a lot better. She's really looking forward to the ceremony."

"I guess it'll be good to see her out and about." Scott stated.

"She's already set her new goal for physio." Flynn told him. "She's hoping to only need a stick by the time the ceremony comes around. Her recovery's coming along brilliantly."

"Well I'm sure she'll make it." Scott said, putting a hand on Flynn's shoulder. "She's a fighter Flynn, you know that."

"Yeah, well there is something I wanted to talk to you about." He replied. "It's about the ceremony. I know it has to be bringing up a lot of uncomfortable memories."

"I'll be fine Flynn." Scott told him. "Sure, it sucks that Marcus won't be there, but I'm trying to just be happy that he and dad are being honoured. I guess its better trying to remember him that way."

"I think that would be for the best." Flynn told him. "I know it's going to be hard, but I was thinking that maybe it would be a little easier if we went to the rehearsal dinner the Winchesters are holding tonight."

"I was kind of planning on giving that a miss." Scott informed him. "It's bad enough I'll be doing this once."

"Summer was kind of planning on going." He told him. "She wanted to visit the memorial gardens. Remember that they'll also be commemorating the people who didn't make it. I figured we could all be there for each other."

"I guess we could all use a little time out." He responded. "Maybe this won't be so bad."

"Besides, the Winchesters are holding the dinner on their estate." He reminded him. "It'll be a night out. No cooking, no cleaning up afterwards..."

"We don't have to pick up the tab." Scott concluded. "I guess we could always go for a while."

"That's the spirit man!" He replied cheerfully. "I'll go and get the others together."

"Flynn, would you do me one more favour?" Scott asked him.

"Sure, what is it?" Flynn asked him. Scott reached under his pillow, pulling out the flight recording. He looked at it thoughtfully for a second, before letting out a sigh and handing it to him.

"I'm beginning to think you might have a point. Maybe keeping this around isn't the healthiest thing." He told the Blue Ranger. "Hand it in or don't, I'll let you decide what to do, just...don't tell me what you do with it. It's probably best I don't know."

"Are you sure about this?" Flynn asked in response.

"I'm sure you'll know what to do with it." He reiterated.

"I'll take care of it." Flynn assured him. "Get ready; I'm sure the others will be ready to go soon."

With that, he left Scott to look through his closet for something to wear. He already felt a little loss at having handed over the flight recording, but in the long run, it wasn't really providing him with any answers. If anything all he ever accomplished by listening to it was to upset himself and become more frustrated. All he could do now was somehow hope to find a way to move on; he just hoped that in time it would get easier.

Flynn came into the main room, finding Ziggy in his RPM uniform, preparing something in the microwave while Dillon was wearing a dress shirt, unbuttoned at the collar, dress pants and his leather jacket. It wasn't what the Winchesters would be used to, but for Dillon, this was as close to black tie as he got.

"Aren't you getting changed?" Flynn asked Ziggy. He knew better than to ask Dillon, he knew the Black Ranger had no intention of trying to fit in with the Winchesters and their friends. He had made his disdain for them more than clear at Summer's wedding, in truth he would only be going because he wanted to support Summer. She wanted to visit the memorial, and her parents would be attending, so she wanted to be there for them. If she hadn't been going, then most likely Dillon would have given it a miss too.

"I'm not going." Ziggy told them. "Dr. K's going, and someone needs to stay behind with Tenaya."

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Flynn asked him.

"Please, I've got a jumbo size nacho platter and some DVD's, I'll be fine." He responded.

"Thank you for agreeing to watch the prisoner for me." Dr. K greeted Ziggy as she arrived, wearing a formal black suit and a white blouse. "It's been quite a while since I left the lab."

"Ziggy caught a little sly grin from Flynn as she said this, and felt a little sheepish. Obviously Flynn had read a little something into the revelation that contrary to what Ziggy had originally said, that he had volunteered to stay behind.

"Well these things are normally well guarded, I knew the doc would be safe there, and you know how rarely she gets out." Ziggy explained. "You guys enjoy yourselves."

"An evening at the Winchesters designed to have everyone talk about how wonderful he is." Dillon said sarcastically, twirling a lollipop in his fingers nonchalantly. "Oh yeah, it'll be a blast."

"You've got it all wrong man; the night is what you make of it." Flynn responded with a grin. "The night is what you make of it. Just because the Winchesters will be spending the whole night showing off their son, that doesn't mean we can't enjoy a nice meal and a couple of dances and let them pick up the tab."

"I'm just going to check on Summer." Dillon muttered in an unconvinced tone as he made his way towards her room. He knew how important it was for her to visit the memorial, but he wasn't sure that going to the party at the estate was a great idea. If she was going, then he wanted to be there by her side. He knocked on the door gently. She opened the door, she talked allowing him inside.

She was wearing a long, yellow, backless gown, and had styled her hair for the occasion. He couldn't help but stare at her. She was so beautiful to him, but he couldn't help feeling sorry for her. He looked over to the bed, seeing a large bouquet on the bed.

"I guess that's for the memorial." He remarked. Summer let out a sigh as she looked at them and turned back to the table where she was applying her make-up.

"Andrews loved the carnations in our garden." She recalled from her time back at her parent's estate. "It just seemed right."

He came over behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. He knew how much the old butler had meant to her. Since the wedding, she had explained about her background, and so Dillon knew that she had virtually been raised by the butler at one time. It was always bittersweet whenever she talked about him. She still got upset when she remembered him, but there was always warmth in her voice and a gleam in her eye any time she talked about him.

"I'm sure he'd have loved them." Dillon assured her. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I was always going to be thinking about them at the ceremony." She said as she grabbed a shawl, throwing it around her shoulders and getting up from the table. "I just wanted to take a little time to mourn them by myself."

"Them?" Dillon asked her, realising what she had said.

"I told you about Mrs. Kitchner and her kids right?" Summer asked him. Dillon nodded as he realised how this must have affected her. "The thing is, I never saw them again after dad fired them. I don't know what happened to them."

She looked to the floor, trying to suppress a tear as she thought about it. At one time she had been like a mother to Summer, and she had been incredibly close to Freddy and Julie, virtually being raised alongside them.

"I don't know if they made it to the city." Summer told him sadly. Dillon knew what bothered her; it was the same thing that would be on the mind of virtually everyone in the city during the ceremony. Although the world contained over six billion people before the attacks, only a little over a million made it inside the city walls before the shields went up. There were rumours of similar projects and fortifications around the globe, but without communications they were only unfounded rumours. Anyone that didn't make it into the city would have been destroyed in the wastes. Almost everyone in Corinth knew someone that hadn't made it. As well as a day of celebration, it was also a time of reflection for most of the city.

Dillon wished he could offer her some form of reassurance that they were fine, but he had lived outside the dome for over a year. If anyone understood what it was like in the wastes, then he did. He almost hadn't made it himself, by the time he made it to the city he had no more food or water, and his car was running on fumes. The sad fact was that anyone outside the dome for more than a couple of days was almost certain to have perished. If the desert hadn't claimed them, then Venjix would have. He put his arms around her, pulling her into him and holding her tightly.

Despite her upset, Summer couldn't help but smile as she finally realised where she was. Dillon had his arms completely around her. Such a thing had caused her to panic on more than one occasion. Her despair as she thought about those she had lost had blinded her to it at first, but now she realised that he was holding her. Her heart raced a little, and she felt a little twinge of nerves as she realised, but now there wasn't the same sense of dread. She looked up into his eyes. Dillon realised where his hands were and broke his grip, taking half a step back and holding his hands up.

"No, Dillon." She rushed out, seeing the apologetic look in his eyes. "It's alright. I'm fine."

"Summer, I'm sorry, you were so upset." He stated as she advanced on him. "I just did it, I didn't think..."

"Dillon, I'm fine." She told him, wrapping her arms around him and leaning her head into his chest. "I liked it."

"You weren't scared?" He asked her, bringing his arms around her nervously. Summer smiled a little.

"I'm still a little nervous." She admitted to him. "But I didn't feel trapped anymore. I felt good."

"So you're sure you're alright?" He asked her. "I don't want to push you too hard. You know I'd never do anything to hurt you..."

She silenced him with a pair of fingers to his lips, before pulling him into a long, passionate kiss. Dillon lost himself in her embrace. His heart beat in his chest faster and more fiercely than he ever thought possible. As she broke from the kiss, still looking into his eyes, she smiled nervously.

"Please, hold me." She asked him.

Dillon had no problems with the request, pulling her into his chest and holding her tightly. He loved her so much, and he wanted her to feel good about herself. Summer loved the warmth of his arms. As much as the nerves still wouldn't leave her completely, she was happy to know that she was making progress. In her heart she knew that Dillon was no danger to her, it was only her mind that caused the problem. Now though, she was beginning to think that maybe there was light at the end of the tunnel.

Later in the day, Dillon and Summer arrived at the memorial garden. Scott, Dr. K and Flynn had gone on ahead to the estate, knowing that Summer would want some time by herself. Dillon led her down a gravel path to the obelisk at the centre of the garden.

It was about 20 feet tall, and made out of a black, marble-like substance that was veined with lines of grey, varying in shade between almost completely white and a slightly smoky, almost black shade that was only visible from a few inches away. It was roughly square in shape tapering upwards into a pointed pyramid near the top. Gold writing adorned almost all its sides from the top to the bottom. Every person who was confirmed as dead had their name immortalised in gold writing, though that only numbered a few thousand. Given the desperate nature of the evacuation, it wasn't really possible to bring the bodies of the dead for identification. Some were identified on the field, though not many. Most were simply listed as missing presumed dead after the event.

"It's alright, I'm here." Dillon reminded her as they stopped a few feet away. He released her hand, allowing her to make the last of the way herself, and pay her respects in private. She made her way, finding the part of the obelisk with Andrew's name on it. She laid the flowers on the ground next to the obelisk and knelt by it, taking a second to catch her breath.

"I've been thinking about you a lot Kevin." She began, using his given name. She had only found out his full name after the evacuation. She had confirmed him among the dead when she arrived in the city. In some ways it still felt odd to use his first name, but it felt right. He had placed so much faith in her finally breaking free of the shallow, false life her parents had cocooned her in, that he had risked his own life to come back for her when he could simply have left her to her fate. More than that, he had died to protect her when she was attacked by Grinders. It was the most selfless thing she had ever seen anyone do, and it had been the jolt she needed to shake her out of that life. She knew she could never go back to being the same spoiled brat she had been. Not after seeing the true face of humanity. "I can't possibly repay you for everything you've done for me."

She took a second to remember his last words to her, getting a little smile on her face as she thought of him looking down on her as he had promised. She wiped away a tear.

"I really hope you have been watching." She told him, reaching out to the stone. "I've been working really hard to make you proud of me. I've finally realised who I am and who I want to be."

She felt a small chuckle as she thought about heading to the party at the estate. She knew Andrews had never really liked Chas. Just like her, Chas had treated him badly, the only difference was that there was no affection in him at all, save for the affection he had for himself. He hadn't vocalised his dislike of him, it wasn't his place. He was only a butler, while Chas was his social superior, but there was always an iciness in his tone and demeanour, a subtle disdain that only Summer really noticed because they were so close. Now, of course, she felt much the same way about him.

"I'm going to see my ex today." She joked. "I know you thought he was an asshole. Hell, he is an asshole. I can't believe I ever thought about marrying him. I can't believe I even managed to convince myself that I wanted it."

She flicked her head in Dillon's direction.

"Things are going well with Dillon." She told him. "I really wish you could have met him, I think you'd have liked him. He really makes me happy. I don't think I'd have made it through all of this without him."

She arranged the flowers and composed herself a little.

"If Mrs. Kitchner's up there with you, I know you'll look after her." She stated. "Keep watching, I promise to keep making you proud. You haven't died for nothing. I promise."

With that, she got up and made her way back to Dillon's side and they left, making their way to the Winchester estate. He put his arm around her and guided her on the way back to his car.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asked her, seeing her taking one last look towards the obelisk. "We could always go home. I'm sure Ziggy won't mind sharing the nachos."

"I'll have to face everyone there at the ceremony anyway." Summer reminded him. "If I can't do it now, there's no way I'll be able to be there for Scott's ceremony."

"Just let me know if you change your mind." Dillon told her as he started the engine. "I'll be there."

They arrived at the estate after a short drive, and Dillon got out, opening the door for Summer. She looked around at the estate; seeing the throng of waiters, maids, valets and guests all dressed in elaborate clothing. The valet approached, reaching for Dillon's car keys, only to have them snatched away from him.

"No one touches the car." Dillon told him.

"Dillon, its fine." Summer told him. "He's just a valet."

"Summer, no one touches my car." He reiterated. "You know that."

"Dillon, it'll be fine." She groaned, taking the keys off him and handing them to the valet.

"I'll take care of the car sir." The valet assured him, moving around the defensive Black Ranger cautiously. "It's good to see you Ms. Landsdown, you're looking well."

"Thanks." She said, furrowing her brows at the odd remark. She took Dillon by the hand and led him inside, looking around the grounds for the others. Summer rolled her eyes as her one-time friend, Brie rushed over to her with the Landsdowns.

"I can't believe you came, HUGS!" She greeted Summer like a long-lost friend. Summer took the hug a little uneasily. She had little if anything to do with Brie now, which was understandable. She had shoved her out of a transport truck during the evacuation, leaving her to almost certain death. If it hadn't been for Andrews, she would never have made it to Corinth. "You're looking well."

"Uh, thanks Brie." Summer replied, a little taken aback. "I hear that Chas proposed to you. Congratulations."

"Thanks, it was kind of a whirlwind romance." She rushed out excitedly, showing off a large, gauche engagement ring with a diamond in it of ridiculous size. "We started dating a while ago, and things kind of happened."

"She'll make a fine addition to the family." Mrs. Winchester stated, putting her arm around her future daughter-in-law. "She's bright, lively, very loving and dependable. She always keeps her promises."

Dillon felt Summer's grip on his hand tighten at this. Obviously this none-too-subtle dig at her refusal to go through with the wedding hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Still you're looking lovely today. You really look well." Mr. Winchester greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. He reached out a hand for Dillon. "I take it you're the new man in her life."

"I have that honour." Dillon answered him, squeezing her hand reassuringly; reminding her he was there for her. He shook Mr. Winchester's hand briskly and weakly in a cursory gesture. He could see that their welcome was insincere, and designed almost to mock her. He had no respect for his hosts. "I'm Dillon."

"So what have you been up to since we saw you last?" Mrs. Winchester asked her. "Have you been doing anything exciting?"

"If you'll excuse me, I think I see our friends." Summer answered, pointing across the yard to where Flynn seemed to be looking for her. "I'll catch up with you later alright?"

The Yellow and Black Rangers pushed their way through the crowd, smiling and nodding politely as they were greeted by a few more polite smiles and "You're looking well's" directed at Summer. Flynn saw them and waved the others over, coming to meet her.

"Summer, we tried to call you." He told her.

"Flynn, what's going on here?" She asked him. "Why are you panicking?"

"It's nice to see you Summer, you're looking well." Another waiter greeted her, making his way past.

"Why the hell does everyone keep telling me that?" She asked him, her patience wearing thin.

"Summer, we tried to call you and warn you." Scott told her regretfully, handing her a newspaper. "The evening edition came out just after we left the Garage."

Summer unravelled the paper and stared at it in horror. Dillon held her for support. On the front page was a picture of her leaving Dr. Young's office, bearing the headline "Psycho Ranger!"

"We're sorry, we tried to tell you." Flynn chipped in, realising Summer's humiliation. "We didn't want this to happen."

"I don't want to talk about it!" She snapped. "Let's just keep quiet, make it through the rehearsal and go."

"Summer..."

"Damn it Scott, if I run out of here now I'll just have everyone talking about it." She interrupted him. "If I make a fuss over it, I'll just confirm everyone's belief that I'm insane."

"Summer, maybe we can just quietly slip out." Dillon suggested. "I'll go with you; we can all cover your escape."

"No Dillon, I can't run from this." She reiterated. "I'd have preferred it if this hadn't come out, but it has. If I run away every time someone looks at me strangely I'll be running my whole life. I need to do this."

"Well you don't need to worry; we're all here for you." Scott assured her. "Just try to ignore it; the people who care about you know the truth."

"I'll try to ignore it." She whispered, pulling in closer to Dillon for comfort. "I'll try."


	19. The Winchester's Party

The rest of the party was a trying experience for the Rangers. Summer especially was getting more and more frustrated by the constant stream of nervous smiles and polite well wishes. She still hadn't had a chance to read the full article, and so she had no idea how anyone had found out about her counselling sessions under Dr. Young. So far all she knew was that someone had photographed her leaving his office and obviously sent it to the newspaper office.

She hated being the centre of attention like that. She felt like a side-show. Even when people weren't wishing her well and talking to her in the hopes of gaining some glimpse of the crazy person, they were avoiding her, and giving her sly looks and whispering. Dillon saw the slightly pained look on her face and held her closely.

"Who cares what they think?" He asked her. "We're the ones that care about you, and we're the ones who know the truth."

"I feel like a freak show." Summer muttered under her breath. "I just know everyone's hoping to see the psycho acting crazy."

"Hey, just remember what Dr. Young said. You're not a psycho." He reminded her. "You have a couple of problems. You'd see a doctor if you were physically sick right? This is no different."

"Try telling them that." Summer replied bitterly, flashing a look to the main table that was being set up in the garden. The Winchesters were all talking with a large group of guests, showing off their 'hero' son, dressed in an immaculate dress uniform. Chas was standing with his new fiancée, Brie, shaking hands, smiling and accepting the congratulations and praise of the guests. Col. Truman arrived in his standard uniform along with Summer's parents.

"Honey, we got the newspaper before we got here." Mr. Landsdown greeted his daughter, gesturing for a hug. "We're sorry this happened. You shouldn't worry about this, we're here for you. We love you."

"This is just cruel; I can't believe anyone would do this to you." Mrs. Landsdown said angrily, also hugging her daughter. "It isn't fair. You do so much for this city."

"It's alright." Col. Truman assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I've served with you before, and you've served this city well. Don't pay this any mind, anyone who thinks less of you because of this isn't worth caring about."

"Thanks." She replied quietly. "I know I shouldn't care, but it's just so hard. I feel like everyone's watching me in case I do something crazy. It's like being in a zoo or something."

"It's not like any of them are complaining when you're saving their asses on a daily basis." Dillon reminded her. "Who would do this to her?"

"Rest assured I will be doing everything I can to find out." Col. Truman told them. "I for one do not tolerate anyone making up libellous stories about my operatives."

"I'll do what I can too." Dr. K chipped in. "Anyone questioning the suitability of any of the Ranger Operatives is questioning my judgement. That is something I won't tolerate."

"It looks like they're calling us to dinner." Scott told them, seeing the head waiter waving the guests over to the table. "Is everyone ready for some food?"

"I could go for something to eat." Col. Truman replied as they made their way over to the table. The place cards had been set in place, making sure that the Winchesters were at the top table, with Chas at the centre, in pride of place. Brie was at his right, and his mother at his left. As the other recipients of the Order of Corinth, Scott and Col. Truman were also there. Col. Truman to the left of Chas' mother, and Scott two places down on his right, beyond Brie and Mr. Landsdown. The other guests were arranged between four long tables, running downwards from the top table. Flynn and Dillon sat either side of Summer, making sure that no one would be able to sit next to her in the hopes of avoiding awkward questions. Dr. K was sitting at another table, at the end closest to Scott. She seemed to be paying a lot of attention to the top table with a look on her face that suggested she had smelt something rotten.

"Gazpacho soup to start." Flynn remarked, reading the menu. "I always thought the idea of serving soup cold was a little odd."

"Why the hell do we need so much cutlery?" Dillon asked, looking at the arrangement in front of him. "Isn't this all overkill?"

"It's just the way the Winchesters do things." Summer whispered to him. "They love people to know how rich and important they are."

"Well there's no one more important than you." He responded, taking her hand. "I wonder what they're talking about at the top table." He joked. "Scott looks about as thrilled to be here as we are."

At the top table at that moment, Col. Truman greeted the other guests at the top table, shaking hands and exchanging polite welcomes.

"I take it you came straight from the office." Mrs. Winchester commented, noting his uniform. It was a subtle slight against the fact he had not gotten dressed specifically for dinner. The Col. Just laughed.

"I did, as the head of Corinth's defence forces, office hours can be a little haphazard. Sadly Venjix has no respect for dinner arrangements." He replied. "I'm sure Chas could tell you that."

Mrs. Winchester just smiled back and gave a haughty little forced laugh. Chas had arrived home almost two hours earlier to prepare for dinner. Col. Truman had managed to slide in a stinging response to her veiled barb, though there was nothing she could do about it. Col. Truman got a satisfied little smile on his face as he saw her demeanour noticeably sour. He had as little respect for Chas as anyone. He had bought his way into a rank from day one, and into a function that would afford him the respect of an officer, while being unlikely to face any direct action. When he entered the Administrative Corp. he quickly made enemies with his lofty attitude. The Colonel couldn't simply discharge him because of his family's political power, but he had done the next best thing, ensuring he was in a job where he was in no danger of making any decisions of value. It was a situation that seemed to suit Chas, as he had never voiced any objection. He seemed content to just swan around in a uniform all day.

Before the first course arrived, champagne, white and red wines were offered to the guests. Everyone charged their glasses, as Chas rose from his chair, gently tapping his glass with a spoon to raise everyone's attention for the toast.

"First of all, I'd like to thank you all for coming here today, it really means a lot." He began, raising a small, polite applause from all the guests. "The first thing I'd like is to do is to announce my engagement to my lovely fiancée Brie. She's a beautiful and devoted woman, and I look forward to her becoming a part of the family."

"I hope this one works out for him." A woman on Dr. K's left whispered to her partner. "I always thought it was strange his last engagement ended so suddenly. I guess there are no prizes for guessing why."

Dr. K took a sip of her wine and listened on, biting her tongue. As much as she wanted to defend Summer, she wanted to hear more. The thought had occurred to her that the timing of the newspaper article was a little convenient. It was strange that it just happened to coincide with the first time Summer and Chas would be seen in public together.

"That being said, I'm afraid I have something a little more sombre to say. The second thing I must say is to ask you all to raise a glass to the one recipient of this prestigious honour who can't be here today." He continued, raising a glass. "I met Marcus Truman only once, but in that moment I knew he was a great man, and while it will not compare to what my fellow recipients feel, I have to say that I feel a great personal loss that he will not be receiving this award with me. Please all raise your glasses to Marcus Truman."

Everyone returned the gesture, taking a drink. Scott hated this, the wine tasted bitter in his mouth. He knew Chas wasn't lying when he said that he'd only met Marcus once. He had been caught bullying a young cadet back at the academy, and Marcus had made an example of him, handing him a humiliating beating in front of his friends. Chas didn't care about Marcus; it was a well known fact that they loathed each other. He just wanted to make himself look good in front of his guests and the press cameras at the party.

"Finally, I'd like to thank the people of Corinth for the honour we will receive. I can't speak for the Colonel or Scott, but I can assure you that to me, the Order of Corinth means more to me than anything I've ever earned."

As the guests all raised their glasses at the end of the toast, Summer let out a little snort that was only heard by Dillon and Flynn. Chas had never earned anything in his whole life. As the glasses came to rest, the first course was served and the conversations began.

"I noticed Summer and the Black Ranger are rather close." Mr Winchester said to Scott between mouthfuls of gazpacho. "It's good to see her happy."

"They started dating a while ago." He told the billionaire a little coldly, realising he was fishing for information. "They're happy together. I've known Summer a long time, it's good to see her happy."

"Well I guess she has been through a lot." Mr. Winchester stated, again fishing for information about her condition. "I..."

"Mr Winchester, with all due respect I don't want to talk about Summer unless she's here." He interrupted him.

"I can respect that." He replied with a shrug. "It's only natural to want to protect our friends."

Meanwhile Chas kept taking a couple of glances over to Summer's table, seeing the way she and Dillon interacted, seeing a closeness between them that he hadn't noticed before. He got a sarcastic little smile and leaned over to Brie, nudging her and gesturing to their table.

"It looks like my ex has found a new beau." He commented sarcastically.

"They arrived together." Brie told him. "I met him when they got here with your parents."

"What's he like?" He asked her.

"He seems a little brash." She informed him. "He had a real attitude. We welcomed him and he didn't seem to care. It was as though he thought he was better than us or something. Of course if you saw the rust bucket he pulled up in you'd see he was a loser."

"I don't like to judge too quickly." He replied, gesturing over a butler. "I'd like to size him up myself. Jeffrey, could you have some fencing equipment prepared in the main hall? I think I'd like to work off some of my dinner later."

"Of course sir." The butler replied, before heading off to comply with the request.

"Let's just see what this defender of Corinth is made of." He told her with a little smirk. "Let's see what the cyborg has to offer."

Meanwhile, Dr. K was busy listening to the other guests continuing to gossip about Chas, and more accurately Summer. One of the guests next to her held the article just under the table where it couldn't be seen she was reading at the table.

"It says here she's been seeing a psychiatrist." She told the other nosey guests. "Listen to this, 'Dr. Young refused to comment citing patient/doctor confidentiality'."

"Well that just proves she's a patient." One of the male guests stated. "I always thought there was something odd about that one. Don't you remember that whole business at the court case?"

"It mentions that here." The female guest continued, quoting the article. "Summer Landsdown, otherwise known as Ranger Yellow was last in the news when she was sentenced to life imprisonment following a murder conviction. During the trial it was claimed that she was attacked as a teenager in military academy by training officer Ronan Wells. She was later released from prison after Mr. Wells, by then a respected prison warden, was tricked into admitting to framing her in revenge over the allegations on the public announce system. He took his own life before he could be apprehended."

"Before he could be questioned more likely," another guest commented, taking a re-fill of her wine glass, "it all seems rather convenient doesn't it?"

"Given her mental state it makes you wonder if she was crying rape or crying wolf." The male guest chipped in. "She wouldn't be the first girl to go a little further than she wanted to and started claiming assault."

"I wonder what really happened in that apartment." The guest with the newspaper mused. "Maybe Wells was innocent after all. It's not like her friends couldn't have forced a confession out of him."

"No wonder Chas cut his losses and kicked her to the curb. He must have been a saint to put up with it for so long." The male guest chuckled. "I'm just glad he found Brie. That Landsdown girl sounds like more trouble than she's worth."

Dr. K got up from the table and left without another word. She made her way to Scott's table.

"Excuse me Ran...Scott." She began. "I'm going back to the Garage now."

"Dinner isn't even finished." He remarked. "The main course is poached salmon."

Dr. K looked back to her table, seeing the other guests still gossiping and rolled her eyes.

"I suddenly lost my appetite." She told him.

"Would you like me to take you?" He asked her.

"It'll be fine Scott; you just stay and enjoy your night." She stated, waving him off. "There's no reason for all of us to miss out."

Scott watched her go, and saw the guests at the table still discussing something. He caught a momentary glimpse of the newspaper under the table and could guess what it was about. Obviously Dr. K had heard enough and opted to leave rather than risk making a scene and making things worse. He wanted to go too, and was starting to wonder about the wisdom of their decision to stay.

It was only because Summer was with Flynn and Dillon she seemed to be oblivious to the worst of it, but she was obviously aware of the fact she was the hot topic of conversation. As his main course arrived, he had to wonder how his dad was faring. Glancing over, he saw him eating without saying a word. He had to admire that about his father, the way he had the strength to know when to ignore idle gossip. He was almost as close to Summer as Scott was, and if his own anger was anything to go by, this thing had to be killing him. He was hiding it well. Anyone that hadn't known the Colonel their whole life wouldn't think there was anything wrong with him, to anyone else; he was just enjoying a nice fish dinner.

"I think we should wait a little while before dessert." Chas announced. "I don't know about all of you, but I could do with letting some of that go down a little."

With that, most of the plates and cutlery were cleared, and the guests were invited to mingle for a little while. Colonel Truman was talking with Scott when Chas came over along with another soldier in dress uniform.

"Colonel Truman, I haven't had a chance to congratulate you in person." The stranger announced, saluting him. The Colonel returned the gesture. "It really will be a pleasure to see the Hero of Corinth being acknowledged in public."

"Thank you, but you know I don't like to make a fuss." Colonel Truman said in return, shaking the stranger's hand. "Scott, this is Captain Iain Gates, he and your brother served together many times."

Gates was a huge man, towering over even the Colonel, with a slightly gaunt appearance. His chiselled jaw and cheekbones were almost skeletal in appearance, as though only a small amount of skin had been forcibly drawn over a skull that was much too large for it. His flesh was pale, almost as pale as Dr K's, and his eyes were dark, with a fierce intensity in them that was a little unnerving. He looked to be a few years younger than Colonel Truman, and still had thick, dark hair, though it was steadily beginning to turn grey.

"Scott Truman." Scott introduced himself, saluting the man. He looked down at Scott as though he had somehow offended him. They stood for a second in awkward silence as he Scott waited for the return salute, though it never came. He looked nervously between his dad and Gates trying to gauge the reaction. Chas nudged him with his elbow.

"He used to be Eagle 2." Chas reminded him. "He's being awarded too."

"Oh, right, I'm sorry." Gates replied quietly, saluting Scott quickly. "I'm sorry, I guess without the uniform I didn't recognise you, we were both on Eagle Squad during the battle of Corinth. You'd be amazed how many civilians salute me."

"Well I'm not military now." Scott informed him, glossing over the slight show of disrespect to avoid a scene. "I left when I joined Project Ranger."

"You're one of the Rangers! Of course, I should have remembered that." He replied. "I've seen all the news clippings."

"Yeah, I get that a lot too." Scott said, extending a hand. "Anyway, it was nice meeting you."

Gates looked down at his hand as though it was diseased, and gave a quick glance between Chas and Colonel Truman before taking his hand and shaking it with a firm grip.

"Well I look forward to seeing you at the ceremony too." He replied.

"Thanks, I need to go and see my friends about something. I'll catch you later." Scott said, excusing himself and leaving. His father followed, leaving Chas alone with Gates.

"That guy is a serious jerk." Scott whispered to his dad. "Did you see the way he looked at me?"

"Trust me; I'm not happy about it." Colonel Truman assured him. "He's in the same alumni as Chas. They both attended officer training at the same academy, of course several years apart. That's how he knows the Winchesters."

"So what's his problem?" Scott asked him.

"He has the same problem as Chas." Colonel Truman replied sadly. "He's an arrogant snob who believes he's better than everyone."

"He's in the infantry now, just like you right?" Scott asked him.

"He is." Colonel Truman stated. "He's a damn good soldier and officer too. If it wasn't for his attitude he'd probably have my job."

"Well he seems to like you." Scott commented, taking a look back to where Gates and Chas seemed to be talking about something.

"Don't mistake subordination for liking someone." Colonel Truman replied. "He tolerates me; some would even say kisses my ass, because he has to. I outrank him, but don't think for one second that means he likes or respects me. We were both up for the same promotion and I got it, that's why I'm a Colonel."

"Wait, so he doesn't like you because he thinks he should have your job?" Scott asked him.

"It's just one of many reasons." Colonel Truman said, putting an arm around his son. "Now, let's not ruin anymore of the night with this kind of talk. Tell me, how are things going at the Garage?"

Meanwhile, Chas pulled Gates aside, handing him a glass of champagne.

"What was that all about?" Chas asked him in a pointed tone. "You know better than to anger the Colonel."

"He dared to salute me like an equal." Gates spat angrily, taking a long gulp, thinking about Scott. "Sorry, you know how much it galls me to play nice and bow and scrape to Truman."

"Believe me, I'm not happy about it either, but you have to lie low for now. You know better than anyone what happens if the political game turns against you." Chas reminded him.

"I guess that's true." He muttered, taking another gulp.

"In the meantime, just enjoy the after-dinner entertainment I have planned." Chas said with a smirk. Gates smiled as he realised Chas had something in mind.

"Are you going to mess with your ex some more?" He asked him. "I would have thought releasing that story to the press would have embarrassed her enough. No one thinks the wedding breaking down was your fault, they all think she's a psycho. If anything they think you're a saint for putting up with her for so long."

"She embarrassed me." Chas reminded him. "It might not have happened in public, but no one ditches a Winchester."

"So what do you have in mind?" Gates asked him.

"I was thinking of a little light fencing with the new man in her life." Chas informed him, casually drinking some more. "By the time I'm finished, both of them will be too humiliated to show their faces in public."


	20. Chas' Plan

Dr. K arrived at the Garage, finding Ziggy and Tenaya in the main room watching a DVD on the large screen TV. Since the others were out, Ziggy had pushed her in her wheelchair out of the main room to the more comfortable surroundings of the main room. He hadn't expected any of them to have returned by now. He never noticed Dr. K coming in; he was far too busy laughing and joking with Tenaya about the film, sharing an extra large nacho platter.

"Ziggy, what is she doing out of the secure holding facility?" Dr. K asked him in a weary sigh. "She is a prisoner you know."

He handed the dish to Tenaya and made his way over quickly, seeing her. He knew she wouldn't like the idea of him taking Tenaya out of the secure room, but he had been sure that she wouldn't be back for hours. He thought he'd have her back in the lab before the others got home, he just felt badly about her being locked up all day and had decided to bring her out for a while.

"I figured it wouldn't cause any harm." He explained. "We were just watching some DVDs."

"There's a monitor in the holding chamber." She reminded him. Ziggy drew a little closer, hoping Tenaya couldn't hear them.

"I just wanted to get her out of the lab for a little while." He told her.

"She's our prisoner." Dr. K repeated. Ziggy just sighed and gestured to her.

"She's in a wheelchair." He reminded her quietly. "She's still wearing the restraining bracelet, and even if she was able to escape, where's she going to go? It's not like she'd go back to Venjix."

Dr. K looked over to where Tenaya was still eating nachos. There was a certain childish joy on her face as she shovelled the mass of chips, refried beans, salsa and cheese into her mouth. Venjix fed her through IV in her regeneration chamber, so she was only just beginning to experience the joys of eating and tasting real food. By the looks of things, she was enjoying the dish. Dr. K shook her head and groaned. Ziggy was right, given the way she was treated by the ruthless computer virus, she would not run back to that life. Even as a prisoner she was treated better in the Ranger compound.

"Just...put her back when you're finished." She finally said, conceding to Ziggy's judgement. "You are responsible for her care after all."

"Thanks Dr. K." He replied, making his way back to the couch. He found Tenaya just finishing the dish.

"You ate the whole thing?" He asked her. "That was a portion for five!"

"What can I say, I enjoyed it." She replied with a shrug. "There are so many great textures and flavours. I never understood why people were so enthusiastic about eating before."

"I guess I wasn't that hungry." He said, settling onto the couch.

"Thank you." Tenaya said to him, pulling his attention back from the film. "That's the first time anyone stood up for me."

"You heard that?" Ziggy asked her.

"I'm a cyborg remember?" She responded. "I guess Venjix thought boosting my hearing would make me a better spy."

"I just wanted you to spend a little while outside the lab." He told her.

"Well I'm really enjoying this." She told him, reaching across and putting a hand on his knee. "Thank you."

Ziggy was distracted for a second as he felt her touch. He looked down at her hand and smiled nervously.

"That's alright." He answered. "I had fun too."

Meanwhile, back at the Winchester's estate, the guests were ushered into the main hall after dessert for an after-dinner drink. As they made their way inside, the Rangers noticed the fencing runway set up in the main hall. Chas made his way to one end, where the butler was standing with some equipment, pulling off his jacket.

"It looks like Chas is going to provide a little entertainment." Mrs. Winchester commented. "How wonderful, it's always a joy to watch him fence."

"He's going to fence?" Flynn asked them. "What's so great about that?"

"He's only about the best fencer there is." Scott informed him.

"He's won world championships every year since he was 12." Summer added. "Even I have to admit, it's amazing to watch him."

"Well, I'm looking for a few challengers." Chas stated, handing his wine glass to a waiter and stepping onto the runway. He approached the butler.

"I've prepared the equipment as you asked." The butler told him.

"Thank you Jeffrey." Chas replied, handing him his jacket and beginning to strap on a chest plate. "Which one is mine?"

The butler handed him a sword which Chas inspected with a satisfied smile.

"Which one?" He asked him, drawing closer to the butler so no one else could hear.

"The one with the blue binding has been prepared as you asked." Jeffrey informed him. Chas looked at the basket of swords, seeing that all of them had black bindings on the handles except for one.

"Thank you Jeffrey." He replied, grabbing a face mask and making his way onto the runway. Another guest made his way over to Jeffrey to receive some protective equipment.

"Mayor Fallon, it'll be a privilege to cross blades with you." Chas told him, adopting a guarding stance. "Care to make a wager?"

"I don't think so." He replied, pulling on his face mask. "I just wanted to be able to say I've crossed blades with a world champion."

They both adopted a stance.

"Jeffery, whenever you're ready." Chas told his butler.

The butler put a hand under their crossed blades, then swept it upwards, parting them. The two lunged at each other, though it was not a long engagement. Chas neatly tagged a strike to the mayor's chest plate, causing the scoring board to buzz and score a point.

"I hope your term in office lasts longer." Chas joked, causing everyone to give a polite laugh. Fallon laughed with him.

"En guard." He called out, taking the starting position. Chas scored the second point almost too quickly to be seen.

"He is good." Flynn complimented Chas.

"He knows it too." Summer whispered to him. Dillon put his arm around her and held her closely. As Chas scored the third point with practiced ease, the crowd applauded.

"Well, are there any more challengers?" Chas asked. Colonel Truman handed Scott his glass and stepped up.

"It's been a while, but I think I could give you a workout." He told Chas. He gave the colonel a cocky little smile.

"I would be honoured to cross blades with a fellow recipient of the Order of Corinth." He replied, replacing his face mask. Colonel Truman stepped up after being strapped into his safety equipment, adopting a guard. As they began, their blades rang out as they collided several times before Colonel Truman tagged his opponent, scoring the first point.

"Not bad for an old man." He commented.

"No need to be humble, you caught me fair and square." Chas said with a smile. "En Guard."

"Your dad might just show him up here." Flynn whispered to Scott.

"He let him get that point." Scott told the Blue Ranger. "My dad's good, but not that good. Chas was just humouring him to draw out the match."

As the second bout started, Chas swept the Colonel's guard aside and scored the point in less than a second. Colonel Truman laughed.

"I guess I have lost a step." He stated. They crossed swords again, only for Chas to score another quick point. He lifted up his face guard and accepted a glass of wine from Jeffery, taking a swig, before handing it back. He returned to the guarding position. This time, the move was truly a thing of beauty. With a flick of the wrist, Chas whipped the foil from the Colonel's hand, sending it high into the air. He then dropped his own sword, catching the Colonel's as it came down and scored the winning point with his own sword.

"Bravo!" Mr. Winchester called out as the audience applauded. Colonel Truman pulled off his mask and shook Chas' hand.

"Good match." He said as he pulled off his chest plate. "That last move was something to see."

"Thank you sir." Chas replied as he accepted the handshake. "Perhaps we can do this again some time."

"I think once is enough for me." Colonel Truman said as he stepped off the runway. "It was fun though."

"Well I'd love another challenger." Chas announced, looking around the room. "Perhaps one of the Rangers would do me the honour."

The Rangers looked around each other, was he really calling them out?

"Oh come on, it's just a little sport. Where's the harm in that?" Chas asked them.

"I've had enough excitement for one night." Summer told him, shaking her head.

"I've never been a fan of fencing." Scott announced. "I'll pass."

"How about you?" Chas asked, pointing to Dillon. The Black Ranger looked to Summer, seeing the look in her eyes. Despite his disdain for Chas, he had no desire to take part in the exhibition, and Summer seemed to share that sentiment. "Come on, I thought you were the tough one."

"I'll sit this one out." Dillon replied. "Thanks anyway."

"Oh, surely you wouldn't be scared of a little friendly sport?" Chas asked him. "I know you don't have much experience with swords, but I'll go gently."

Summer felt Dillon tense up through his jacket. She could feel the anger in him.

"Actually I use the Nitro Sword all the time." Dillon corrected him.

"Well they're hardly swords." Chas scoffed. "They don't have a blade, they're kind of more like clubs."

Dillon gave Summer a look and stepped away from her, before making his way onto the platform. As he was getting strapped into his safety gear, Chas nodded to Jeffrey. He handed the Black Ranger the blue handled sword.

"So, shall we begin?" Chas asked him, taking a glass of wine from one of the waiters and taking a sip, before handing it back.

They approached each other, preparing to begin. Chas leaned forward to speak with Dillon.

"I see you and Summer are together now." He whispered in a voice only Dillon could hear. "So how does it feel to accept my cast-offs?"

Dillon's blood boiled to hear him talk about Summer that way. He barely noticed as Jeffrey parted their blades. The first point sounded out as Chas scored before he could do anything.

"Well, who would have thought I'd score against a Power Ranger?" Chas asked the audience, raising a laugh. He turned back to Dillon, and they crossed blades to begin. He leant in again.

"I suppose she is a cute one." He whispered. "I always thought so. She always looked really good in a bikini."

Dillon roared as their blades were parted, and the swords clashed, ringing around the room. Chas and Dillon parted a little way, sizing each other up. Dillon rushed forward, but Chas threw himself aside, scoring another point.

"Damn it!" Dillon yelled as he realised he'd been suckered in. The guests all looked at him a little warily.

"You don't need to over-react. It's only a little fun." Chas stated, pulling off his face guard and throwing it aside. He took a glass of wine, and took a sip, though as they prepared to begin again, he didn't bother retrieving his mask or giving his wine back. He leaned in again and whispered in his ear.

"So tell me, how is she in the sack?" He asked him. "I always thought she'd be a really good..."

His words were cut off as Dillon shoved him away. Chas finished the wine and threw the glass down, shattering it. Their swords clashed many times, ringing out as Dillon attacked in a frenzy. The crowd scattered as the fight extended beyond the runway. Eventually, Dillon lunged forward, only to find Chas hooking his sword and ripping it from his hand before he stepped aside, causing Dillon to trip and stumble to the floor. He smiled as the audience applauded.

"Well I will admit this isn't exactly a real battle since we're under fencing rules." He conceded. He threw Dillon's sword up, twirling it to hold it by the blade and offering him the handle. "How about we go free-form? One point to a win, anything goes."

As Dillon reached for the sword, Chas leaned in, whispering in his ear again.

"I hope you hold onto your girl better than you hold onto your sword." He taunted him. By now, Dillon had heard enough. He let out a savage cry, grabbing the sword and shoving Chas away with all his strength. Chas recovered quickly enough to avoid his next strike. Chas parried many of his attacks, eventually locking blades with him. He leaned in again.

"You'll always be second best." He whispered spitefully. "Accepting my sloppy seconds makes you the loser everyone knows you are."

Dillon kneed him in the gut, causing Chas to stagger away, before bringing the sword scything down. Chas let out a yell, and blood sprayed on the floor as he clutched his face.

"Chas!" Brie screamed, rushing to his side, and holding him warmly.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Mr. Winchester snapped.

"You're as crazy as your girlfriend!" Mrs. Winchester barked loudly, tending to her son. Chas stood up, taking his hand away from his face and showing a large gash across his right cheek. He held up his hand as the guests started to round on Dillon.

"It's alright, it is a dangerous pastime." He commented casually, making his way towards Dillon. "We just got a little over-excited, that's all, the sword just broke in the chaos."

Gates took the sword from Dillon and inspected it.

"The protective nib is gone." He informed the others. "It looks like an accident."

"Well the way he went after Chas wasn't." Brie snorted, tending to her fiancé. "You all saw it; this animal went after him like a raving lunatic!"

"It's alright sweetie, accidents happen." Chas commented, extending a hand to Dillon. In his anger, Dillon just swiped his hand away. Security quickly surrounded the Rangers as they came to Dillon's side.

"I guess you can't accept a gesture of friendship." Chas commented with a fake sincerity. "Perhaps it would be best if you left."

Summer took Dillon's arm and led him away, though his gaze never left Chas' until he left the room. He knew that Chas had manipulated him into the fight, and he knew that his words were just a way to goad him, but his anger had overtaken him. The Rangers left, and the guests all went back to what they were doing. Gates handed Chas a handkerchief, which he held to his face, mopping the blood.

"Well that wasn't what I was expecting." Gates commented. "Still, now everyone thinks the Black Ranger's as insane as your ex."

"I thought the 'accident' was a nice touch." Chas commented, opening his hand to show Gates the protective nib from Dillon's sword. "I had it tricked. I pulled off the nib when I disarmed him."

"Putting your body on the line?" Gates asked him, taking it from him. "That's commitment."

"I thought so." Chas stated. "I thought that if I was hurt in the fight the guests would over-react."

"Well I'm sure tomorrow's headlines will be an entertaining read." Gates chuckled. "Would you like me to get a doctor?"

"It's quite alright; it wouldn't be the first time Jeffery's stitched a wound." Chas told him, taking a glass of wine from a nearby waiter. "In the meantime, I think I'll just enjoy everyone's sympathy. After all, I am the victim of a lunatic."

Meanwhile, outside, Dillon stormed out of the building, still fuming over the fight. More than Chas' words, more than his taunts and his goading, Dillon was angry at himself for being manipulated into that situation.

"Dillon wait!" Summer begged him, rushing behind him. "Chas is an asshole, I know that."

"Give me my damn keys!" He roared at the valet. He ripped the keys from his grip and started looking for his car. Summer made her way in front of him, grabbing his arms as the others arrived.

"Dillon, what were you playing at?" She asked him. "Everyone already has their doubts about me, why did you make them turn on you too?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Scott demanded.

"You didn't hear what he said!" Dillon roared in his rage.

"I don't care what he said." Scott told him. "You made yourself look like a thug in there."

"I don't give a damn what those idiots think of me!" Dillon snarled, gesturing wildly at the mansion.

"Dillon, you played into his hands." Summer said softly, taking his hand. "He doesn't care about anyone but himself. He probably insulted you..."

"Actually he insulted you." Dillon interrupted her. Summer nodded to the others to say that she wanted some time to talk to Dillon. Scott took Flynn back to his car and left. Dillon sat on the hood of his car.

"Dillon, it doesn't matter what he said about me." Summer told him. "You shouldn't have let him goad you like that."

"I know." He sighed, looking at her in her dress. He took a deep breath. "Summer, I love you so much, the things he said really hurt. I can't believe I was so stupid!"

"Dillon, it doesn't matter what he said." Summer told him. "I love you."

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I know I haven't helped anything."

"Well it was good to know you're willing to stand up for me." She replied with a smile. "I've never had a knight in shining armour."

"Unfortunately most of the metal's on the inside." Dillon joked as he let out a small laugh.

"At the wedding when Venjix attacked, Chas used Dr. K as a human shield and he thought she was me." Summer reminded him. "There's no contest. I don't care how much of your body is metal; you're more of a man to me than Chas will ever be."

Dillon looked deeply into her eyes and cupped her cheek with his hand. He drew her into a long, passionate kiss.

"I love you." He told her. "I'm sorry I got taken in, but you know that I'll be there for you, no matter what the backlash is."

"I know you will." Summer told him confidently. "That's why I love you."

With that, they got into his car and made their way back to the Garage. They knew that there would be a backlash over the incident at the party, and that it would make their lives more difficult, but in that moment, none of it mattered. They were together, and that was all that mattered.


	21. Ranger Backlash

The following morning, Summer woke up after a trying night. She was thankful for the meds she had received from Dr. Young that night, following the humiliating experience of the Winchester's rehearsal dinner, she was sure she wouldn't have been able to sleep, even if it wasn't for the nightmares she had been on medication to suppress.

She had known that there was likely to be an atmosphere at the party, since it was the first time the Winchesters and the Landsdowns had been in the same place at one time since the failed wedding. She knew that Chas and his family would have felt a loss of face when she had called off the wedding. Since then, both she and the Winchesters had refused to comment to the press, and eventually the interest died down. Now though, since the newspaper article had been published, the population's interest in the whys and wherefores of how the dream wedding had ended in disaster was renewed. The fact she had been seeing a psychiatrist was now public knowledge, and given the whispers and averted looks at the party, she knew who everyone believed to be responsible for the break up.

She pulled herself out of her bed and looked down on the newspaper on her bedside table, showing her leaving Dr. Young's office with the headline "Psycho Ranger". She had concentrated simply on getting through the rest of the party without embarrassing herself any further, and so she only had the chance to read the article in full after the party. It was a scathing piece of character assassination. Her blood boiled even more every time she read it, the reporter had been fed no shortage of damning statements about her. She read part of it again.

'A source close to both Ms. Landsdown and Chas, who asked not to be named, had this to say.

"I've known Summer a long time, and I loved her dearly but even I can say she was never quite right in the head.

"She was always more interested in her martial arts and blasting around the place on that bike of hers than she was in Chas. He was able to accept it at first; he was even willing to put up with it when there were rumours that he wasn't the only man in her life if you get my drift."

When asked about the wedding, the source simply said,

"It was a disaster. She seemed to be distant and uninterested, almost as if she was angry about something. I think it has something to do with the evacuation. It's well known she walked most of the way because of the lack of transport vehicles. We all thought it was a miracle when we saw her alive and well again, but she wasn't the same. Personally I think being in the sun too long did something to her brain."

A damning statement indeed from one of Ranger Yellow's closest friends.'

Summer just wanted to march over to the Winchester estate and slap Brie for that. She didn't need to be named as the source in that quote, the only person who would know she walked most of the way was her. She had shoved Summer out of the truck in the first place. She knew that Brie had always wanted to be with Chas, but the Landsdowns had an agreement with the Winchesters. When that broke up, Brie should have been doing cartwheels. Of course, now it seemed that she wasn't merely content with 'winning' and getting Chas, now she wanted to make sure no one believed that she was the second choice, the "consolation prize" so to speak. She read on.

'When asked about his response to the news, Chas Winchester, Ranger Yellow's former fiancé refused to comment. All he was willing to say was "we parted ways for our own reasons, which I refuse to talk about. All I'll say is that I have moved on and hope Summer the best for the future, and hope she finds happiness as I have."

Summer just threw the paper aside. His refusal to say anything about what had happened was more damning than any lie he could ever tell. He hadn't said anything that could be disputed, even if Summer's family had the financial means to fight the article. He had refused to say anything, of course, while the few at the wedding knew his refusal to speak was down to him not wanting to admit that Summer left him, in light of the therapy, his silence and well wishes only seemed to imply that they had parted ways over her alleged psychological problems.

She went into her en-suite and showered, taking one of the few times she was alone to sort through everything that had happened. Since reading through the article, she was quickly coming to the same conclusion as Dr. K, that it had been Chas, or at least one of his family, that had followed her and released the picture of her going to her therapist to the press. The timing of the article being released just seemed like too much of a coincidence. Of course it wasn't like she could fight the article. She wouldn't be able to afford the legal fees for a long court case, and it would just invite even more press attention. The quicker this whole thing could die, the better.

As she finished getting dressed, she made her way to the door and opened it. As soon as it started to open, breaking the sound-proof seal, she immediately heard Dillon and Dr. K arguing. By the sounds of Dillon's raised voice, they had been arguing for a while.

"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm sorry!" He roared angrily. "I know I was an idiot for getting suckered into fighting Chas, but you didn't hear what he said!"

"I don't care what he said Ran...Dillon." Dr. K answered matter-of-factly, waving around a newspaper. "The fact is that your actions last night have weakened the public image of Project Ranger."

"I wasn't aware you were concerned what people think of us." Dillon said sarcastically, turning his back on her and making his way to the counter, grabbing a banana.

"The fact is that the public trusts and respects the Rangers." Dr. K reminded him, rushing around in front of him and getting into his face. "We're able to function and attain the co-operation of the public because they trust us. Your actions last night made you look like a lunatic."

Do you want to keep it down a little?" Summer asked them, making her way between them. "What's this about?"

Dr. K handed that morning's newspaper to Summer, showing her the front page. It showed a double picture of Chas, one of him in his uniform, taken before the party, and another of him having his cheek stitched up after the match with Dillon. She read the headline aloud.

"Berserk Ranger Causes Debacle at Winchester Residence?"

"It seems that Chas isn't done using the papers against us." Dillon said apologetically. "Summer, I'm sorry."

"It's alright; I guess we should have been expecting this." Summer sighed, taking a seat and beginning to read the article. It had more of the usual stinging barbs.

"It's no wonder she ended up with the Black Ranger. He's as crazy as she is!" Summer read aloud, quoting her one-time best friend Brie. "It was a friendly exhibition, and he took it too far. The way he was swinging that sword, it's no wonder it broke. He sliced his face open; he could have scarred him for life! He's lucky he didn't kill him!"

"They're just not milking it then." Dillon said a little sarcastically, coming to her side and stroking her back gently.

"Dillon, what did he say to you?" Summer asked him. "What could he have said that was so terrible?"

"Summer, I don't want to talk about this anymore." He told her in a frustrated sigh. "He pushed my buttons, that's all you need to know. I was an idiot for letting him get to me, I should have walked away, I know I should."

"You don't normally let people get to you like that." Summer commented. "Dillon, whatever he said that upset you like this, I want to know about it."

He shook his head and took a seat with her.

"Dr. K, would you mind leaving us for a second?" He asked her. Dr. K realised she wasn't going to get anywhere with him anyway and just left the room to check on Tenaya's recovery. Dillon looked around to make sure they were alone before telling her. He hated how much this business had hurt her already; he didn't want to hurt her anymore. "He started saying some stuff about you."

"I already know that much." Summer told him. "You told me that last night."

"Summer, he started making comments about when you and he were arranged." He told her. "He said some stuff about you and it just messed with my head. I got all these images in my head and I just saw red."

"Dillon, you know I don't care about him." She told him reassuringly.

"He made some...inferences...about you." He admitted. "Some of the things he said..."

"Dillon, Chas and I were never involved like that." She assured him. "I know he would have wanted that, but we never slept together. Our parents wouldn't have allowed it; they wanted me to be "pure" for the wedding. That was the things were done with families like ours."

"Pure?" Dillon asked her. Summer nodded.

"I've never slept with anyone." She told him. "Dillon, whatever he told you, whatever he said it's all in your head. That's what Chas is like."

"I guess I should have been able to see through him." Dillon muttered, feeling more than a little foolish. "He just got to me."

"Listen, I have another session with Dr. Young today." She told him. "I'm sure there's going to be people waiting. I can't face that alone, it would mean a lot to me if you would go with me."

"I will." He assured her. "You don't need to worry."

Meanwhile, across town, Scott was at a tailor's office, getting his dress uniform adjusted in time for the ceremony. He had been as upset about the events of the night before as anyone, but he had been talked into going about his business regardless. His father was no stranger to controversy, and knew that any deviation from the normal routine would likely be taken as some sign of guilt by the press. The tailor was just finishing taking some measurements, before taking his uniform from him.

"We should have this ready in a couple of days." The tailor informed him.

"Thanks, give me a call when I can pick it up." Scott told him, handing him a card. As the tailor left, he noticed that Gates and Chas were also there for a fitting. Chas had a large dressing taped to his cheek, covering his injury from the night before.

"I see you had the same idea." Chas commented. "I just wanted to make sure I looked my best for the big day."

"Me to, now if you'll excuse me, I have things to do." Scott said, beginning to walk away. He knew that Dillon's actions had drawn an unhealthy level of interest from the media. It galled him to speak with Chas, but he knew creating a scene wouldn't do any good.

"Just in case you see that Black Ranger of yours..."

"Dillon." Scott corrected him. "His name is Dillon."

"Well, if you see Dillon, just tell him there are no hard feelings." He said with a cocky little smile. "I will admit to getting a little over-excited myself."

"I'll pass along your message." Scott told him. Chas shook his hand, followed closely by Gates. Gates' handshake was once again weak and insincere. Scott gave him a little glare as he turned to leave. Gates leaned in and whispered to Chas.

"Did you see the way he looked at me?" He hissed angrily. "Is it time?"

"I think I've done enough damage with my vendetta for now." Chas stated. "I guess it's time to start working on yours. Just don't screw up our hard work."

Gates got a little smirk on his face and left the room.

"Everything's falling into place." Chas chuckled to himself.

Meanwhile, Scott was walking down the street, when he saw a man, dressed in the characteristic business suit of the Scorpion Cartel, talking with a man in jeans with a leather jacket. The man with the leather jacket handed over some money, before accepting a package of white powder.

"I thought you Cartel guys were supposed to be smart." Scott said sarcastically, approaching them. "You're doing a drug deal in broad daylight? Are you trying to get caught?"

The two men ran into the alley behind them, being followed closely by Scott. He pursued them at high speed until he cornered them in a dead-end.

"You guys really are dumb aren't you?" Scott asked them. "RPM, you're both under arrest."

"You know, you aren't that smart yourself." The guy in the leather jacket told him, pulling out a business card, indicating that he was a member of the Scorpion Cartel. "Like you said, do you really think we'd do a business deal in broad daylight in the middle of a crowded street?"

Suddenly, Scott was sprawled across the ground as he felt a savage blow connecting to his kidneys. The offending baseball bat was pulled around his throat, yanking him onto his knees and strangling him. Two more men circled in front of him, throwing bats to the two he had been chasing. The five surrounded him. One of them kicked him hard in the stomach, doubling him over, before reaching into his jacket and pulling out his morpher. He threw it into a nearby trash can.

"Let's see how tough these Rangers really are." The one in the leather jacket commanded. With that, they all descended on the Red Ranger, beating him savagely. He did all he could to protect himself, but his injuries had taken most of his strength already. He quickly lost consciousness under the ferocious beating, leaving him in a bloody, battered heap on the concrete. Gates came out of a nearby hiding place once he was sure Scott was unconscious.

"Is he still alive?" He asked them.

"Of course." One of the Cartel members told him. "It's bad enough risking this; Fresno Bob told us the Rangers aren't to be touched. You know how much we're risking by taking this job for you? There's no way we'd risk the heat he'd lay on us for actually killing one of them."

"I think I've paid you enough to compensate you." Gates told him, handing him a large pile of cash. "You just need to make sure Fresno Bob never finds out."

"That's easier said than done." He grumbled, accepting the cash. "I hope you're satisfied with this."

"I am for now." Gates replied, inspecting the Red Ranger's stricken body. "He still had more to repay me, but I can wait until the time is right."

"Anyway, we need to get out of here." The Cartel member told him as they started to beat a hasty retreat. "Fresno Bob will not be happy if we're gone for too long."

"They're idiots, but they get the job done, and I couldn't risk exposing myself too early." Gates said to Scott's unconscious body. He laid a white rose on his chest carefully. "You don't need to worry though, when the time comes for me to put my plan into action and you pay the ultimate price? I'll make sure it's done with a little more class."

He turned and walked away, pulling his coat around himself as he went, making his way out onto the street. "After all, if you want to kill a king, you don't poison him in his sleep. You behead him in public where the whole court can see you do it."


	22. The White Rose

Scott came to, feeling every inch of his body aching after his savage beating. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the lights. Flynn and Dr. K were checking over him.

"What happened?" He asked them, somehow hoping they had some answers.

"We were kind of hoping you could tell us that." Dr. K answered, continuing to check over some monitors. "You have a grade 2 concussion, bu you seem to have avoided any other major injuries."

"It doesn't feel like it." Scott grumbled as he started to get up from the table. "It feels like I was hit by a truck."

"Well not quite." Flynn told him, helping him up. "If you were hit by a truck then your injuries would have been a little more consistent. Sorry to tell you this, but it looks like you were on the receiving end of a five-star arse kicking."

"I kind of remember that." Scott told him.

"You were found a couple of streets away from the tailors." Flynn told him. "Do you remember who did this to you?"

"Not really." Scott informed him, rubbing his head thoughtfully. "I just remember going to the tailors, and then chasing someone. After that, everything's a little fuzzy."

"Given the condition of your brain I'm not surprised." Dr. K said as she approached him. "Whoever did this to you gave you a serious concussion. I'd be surprised if you remembered any of the attack."

Scott got off the table and made his way over to the monitors, pulling on his t-shirt.

"I guess someone got the drop on me." He commented as he turned around. "I can't believe someone jumped me."

"Well if it makes you feel any better, they didn't steal anything." Flynn told him, handing him his wallet and his morpher. "It looks like whoever did this was disturbed."

"Either that or the intention wasn't to rob him." Dr. K chipped in. "Scott's been pretty fortunate under the circumstances."

"I guess I have." He stated as Flynn left the room. He came over to Dr. K's side. She shifted a little uneasily under his gaze.

"Is there something else I can help you with?" She asked him. Scott smiled at her.

"You called me Scott." He reminded her. "I think that's the first time you've called any of us by our real names without being reminded."

"I suppose it is." Dr. K commented, turning back to her work. "If you're feeling alright, then I really have a lot to do here."

"You always have a lot to do." He commented. "You should give yourself a break one in a while."

"You're the one with the concussion." Dr. K reminded him, shrugging off his comment. "You should take it easy, I'll need to monitor you closely in case I missed any internal bleeding."

"That's easy for you to say." He muttered, holding an ice pack to his aching head. "I just want to find out who did this."

"Your father has launched an investigation." She told him. "Leave it to the military. They'll find who did this."

Meanwhile, over at central command, Colonel Truman was in a foul mood. It had now been a couple of hours since a soldier on a routine patrol had called in informing him that someone had attacked his son. The attack had taken place in a back alley, beyond the gaze of the surveillance system, and so he was left hoping that the ensuing investingation would shed some light on the identity of his attackers.

"What do you have for me?" Colonel Truman asked as one of the lab technicians approached him.

"I'm sorry sir, there's no evidence as to who did this." He told him nervously, fearful of the Colonel's response. "The only clue we have is this."

He handed him the white rose that had been left on Scott's body after the attack. The colonel just snorted.

"Are you trying to tell me that he was attacked by an urban myth?" He asked them. Corporal Hicks stumbled as he heard this, almost dropping the clip board he was carrying.

"Corporal Hicks, is there something I can help you with?" The colonel snapped a little impatiently at his bumbling assistant.

"No." He replied quietly, before leaving. The colonel turned back to the lab technicians.

"I want to know who did this." He told them sternly. "Have an answer for me other than some non-existent cult by the end of the day."

He made his way into his office and switched on the coffee machine, brewing himself some coffee. He hated feeling useless, but until he had some idea who had done this to his son, there was nothing he could do to make it right.

It was obvious he had been blind-sided by the attack. He was a strong fighter through his years of training, so he knew that few could match him one-on-one, certainly not some lowly street punks. This had to have been planned.

He looked to the white rose in his hand, and hoped it didn't mean what he thought it did. The White Rose was a cult that was rumoured to exist long before the population were forced to hide behind Corinth's shields. It was spoken of only in whispers, kind of like an ethereal bogeyman. According to the rumours, its members had worked their way into every level of society. Of course, there was no evidence the cult even existed, and most believed it to be nothing more than a paranoid fantasy, a myth. As the coffee machine finished its brew and he poured himself a cup, Colonel Truman hoped that it was a coincidence. If The White Rose did exist, and they had indeed planned the attack on Scott, then he knew that this would be far from the end of the matter.

Deep beneath the surface of the city, hidden in deep, dark catacombs, a large number of masked, robed men assembled wordlessly under the light of burning torches. A man in a pristine, white robe stepped onto the stage before them. As he stood by a large, bronze statue of some long-forgotten hero, the light from the many torches flickering, he pulled down his hood, exposing a golden mask with a twisted, daemonic visage. Gates pulled off his mask, exposing his face to the assembled masses.

"Brothers, the time we have long dreamed of is quickly approaching." He announced, causing a slight murmur of whispered questions between them. "Before long, The White Rose will no longer be hiding in the shadows. We will take our rightful place and lead humanity into a new dawn."

A cheer went up from the assembled cult members as he spoke. Gates smiled as he took in their applause.

"We will finally achieve our ultimate objective." He informed them. "We will finally have ultimate control. The time of The White Rose is almost upon us."

"The Red Ranger was attacked." One of the cultists called out, approaching the stage nervously.

"Of course he was!" Gates snapped in response. "He is the enemy! He is the banner behind which all those who oppose us rally! He is the very reason we hide in shadows and meet in secret, and I for one am sick of it!"

"But sir..."

"Kill him!" Gates barked. One of the other cultists stepped forward, ramming a knife between his ribs, while holding a hand over his mouth to prevent him screaming. He watched as they dragged his corpse away. "Does anyone else have an objection?"

No one answered. As the cultists who removed the objector returned, Gates sneered.

"When our plan is complete, we will finally have one strong, unpolluted race!" He snorted in disgust. "When Venjix overtook the world, that was our time, that was our opportunity to achieve what we've always wanted! One bloodline, one colour, one people! We will finally achieve what we always wanted!"

The crowd started chanting and throwing salutes in his direction. Gates basked in the appreciation of his followers.

"Corinth is the new Garden of Eden!" He spat dismissively. "Soon, there will only be one race, our race. We will re-set evolution and ensure that the new form of evolution is done right."

He pulled a white rose from his robes and kissed it tenderly.

"The White Rose will rule the world." He declared with a laugh. "The name of Truman will mean nothing when we have one pure bloodline."

Summer made her way into Dr. Young's clinic with Dillon by her side. Maxie came over to her and looked at her apologetically.

"I guess you've had a rough couple of days." She commented.

"I'm glad you came, I wouldn't have blamed you if you didn't." Dr. Young told her as he came from his treatment room.

"I'm still angry." Summer told him. "You could have stopped this, you could have said something..."

"Under the Hippocratic Oath I couldn't say anything." He replied, cutting her off. "I said nothing to incriminate you."

"You didn't defend me either!" She snapped back. He sighed and held the door open for her.

"I couldn't, anything that happens in our sessions is confidential." He reminded her as she made her way inside. Dillon followed her. "I'm sorry..."

"He stays." Summer stated before he could protest.

"If you're alright with him hearing what we have to discuss, then that's fine by me." Dr. Young told her. "I didn't defend you because to do so I'd have to tell them what we discuss in our sessions, and without your permission, I won't do that."

"I guess I did judge a little quickly." Summer replied. "I'm sorry I blamed you, there's been a lot on my mind since the paper came out."

"Well I can imagine." Dr. Young replied, taking a seat. "I won't put you under, today we'll just talk for a while. I thought you might want to air some things."

Summer took Dillon's hand and took a deep breath.

"I know that Chas doesn't love me, I know that was always going to be a marriage of convenience, but I can't believe he'd hurt me like this." She said as she looked on the doctor. "Even mom and dad could find some common ground."

"You spoke with your parents?" He asked her. "I..."

"I did it on my own accord." Summer interrupted him. "I needed some answers."

"Did you get them?" He asked. Summer nodded a little.

"I got most of them." She stated. "Mom and dad told me about the thought process behind the arrangement."

"What else did they tell you?" He asked her. Summer smiled a little as she remembered one of the few honest conversations she'd had with her parents.

"They told me that they loved me." She informed him. "They didn't love each other when they got married, they only had me because it was expected of them to continue the bloodline, but they loved me."

"That must have been good to know." He told her. Summer nodded.

"It was good to know I wasn't just a tool of some archaic political bullshit game." She replied. "They told me that they fell in love."

"They did?" Dr. Young asked her. Again, Summer nodded.

"They fell in love with each other." Summer told him. "Dad said it himself, when they lost everything else, they realised what they had all along."

"Do you forgive them?" He asked her. Summer shook her head.

"I can't forgive them for what happened before." She told him. "They're not the same people now, I know things are different now."

"I take it this is the man you've spoken of in our sessions." Dr. Young told her, gesturing to Dillon.

"He is." Summer replied. "This is Dillon."

"She has spoken very fondly of you." Dr. Young said as he reached out to Dillon for a handshake. Dillon considered it for a while, before shaking his hand.

"She said a lot about you too." He said a little judgementally.

"You don't need to worry, I've not done anything to her she isn't comfortable with." He said reassuringly. "If it makes you feel better, you can sit in on the session, presuming Summer doesn't mind."

"I don't." Summer told him. Dr. Young picked up a newspaper, showing it to her.

"I know it's been a tough couple of days." He stated. "How did you handle it?"

"I handled it a lot better than I thought I would." She replied. "It seems like everyone's against me now. In some ways I felt alone, it was like I was the only sane person in the world."

"What helped?" He asked her.

"My friends." She replied. "They all protected me when everyone thought I was a basket case. They kept people away from me, they looked out for me. I also had a major breakthrough."

"What was that?" He asked her. Summer shifted closer to Dillon.

"Dillon held me." She told him. "He held me and I didn't freak out."

"How did that make you feel?" He asked her. Summer bit her lip and looked to Dillon. In some ways she didn't want to answer in front of him, but in other ways she knew that he had to know.

"I was afraid." She told him in a defeated sigh. He looked to Dillon, hoping he'd understand. "I know that Dillon would never take advantage, but something inside me is still afraid any time someone gets that close."

"Were you afraid?" Dr. Young asked.

"I was." She replied, before pulling him closer. "But it felt good."

"I'll always do what I can to make you feel good." Dillon assured her. "I love you."

"Well it sounds like you've made a lot of progress." Dr. Young told her. "I'd like to try something, I'd like to take you off your meds."

"You can't do that!" She shrieked, visibly shaking. "What about the dreams and...."

"That's exactly why I want to take you off the meds." He interrupted her. "I don't want you to be dependent on them. I want you to live a healthy life without those pills."

"I won't be able to sleep!" She snapped.

"You need to face your dreams." He told her. "You need to put Ronan behind you, and you can't do that unless you face it."

"I don't want to." Summer murmured, looking away from him. "I don't want to think about that."

"You have to." Dr. Young told her. "If you're ever going to move past what he did to you, you have to face it and deal with it."

"It's just so hard." She replied. "I almost killed Ziggy before I went on the meds."

"You can't use the meds as a crutch for the rest of your life." He told her. "You need to face this."

"I'll try." Summer replied, pulling into Dillon tightly. "I swear I'll try."

"Let me know how it works out." Dr. Young stated. "I'll pencil you in for next week, the day before the big ceremony."

"I guess a public event like that will be a good test." She sighed. "Maybe psycho girl won't have another fit in public."

"You shouldn't think like that." Dr. Young said reassuringly. "It's the same as any other injury or illness."

"I just wish people didn't keep staring at me wondering when I was going to snap again." Summer commented. "I'll try."

"I know you will." He replied. "I'll see you next week."

With that, they left the office in each other's arms. Summer hated the thought of living without the meds. It was like flying without a safety net, she had no idea of how she would cope with the dreams again. She had been on the meds and without any form of dream for a while now, so she was afraid of what could happen. She was afraid of the thought of having dreams again. She looked up at Dillon, and felt ashamed of her fear. She knew that in a lot of ways she was fortunate. Dillon knew next to nothing about his life before the implants. In many ways, even having memories was better than having nothing.

Colonel Truman was sitting in his office, sipping coffee when the door opened. Corporal Hicks knocked gently before entering.

"What is it?" He asked in a slightly bored, uninterested tone. Corporal Hicks came to his desk and saluted.

"Sir, I think I might have some information on the attack on your son that is important." He replied.

"Did you see it?" Colonel Truman asked.

"Of course not." He replied.

"Then what..."

"Sir, The White Rose exists." He said, interrupting his commanding officer.

Colonel Truman looked at him with a mixture of disgust and consideration.

"I'm not a member, I swear it!" He stated quickly. "I just know it exists."

"You're trying to tell me that The White Rose exists and you never did anything about it?" He asked.

"You know what it's like in the military." Corporal Hicks replied. "The only thing that's worse than desertion is ratting out the guys in your squad."

"So they exist?" Colonel Truman asked him. Corporal Hicks nodded.

"I was invited to join." He told him. "I refused, but I never reported the guy that invited me because I knew that I'd be labelled a rat."

"Corporal Hicks, my son was attacked!" Colonel Truman reminded him, "anything you can tell us about this..."

"The guy that invited me died in the Battle of Corinth." Hicks interrupted him. "Other than him, I have no idea who was involved."

"So The White Rose exists." Colonel Truman stated. "I guess we need to arrange a little more security for the ceremony."

"Sir..."

"If The White Rose exists, then they aren't going to let Scott and myself be honoured without incident." Colonel Truman told him. "They'll try to take us out."

"Sir, you have no idea who these people are." Corporal Hicks reminded him. "You can't keep track of everyone in the city!"

"Let me worry how we'll find the guy." Colonel Truman stated. "I won't live my life based on the fact someone doesn't like the colour of my skin. If The White Rose does exist, and does wish to make its voice heard, maybe they'll be brave enough to come into the open."


	23. Investigation

Colonel Truman made his way over to The Garage to check on his son after the attack. He hadn't wanted to believe that he would have to face this kind of thing. He didn't want to think that the White Rose existed, but he had since found out that not only did it exist, but it seemed likely that they were behind the attack.

Although he had wanted things to be different for both of his sons, he was no stranger to prejudice. He had struggled against it for most of his life. He had worked so hard and earned more commendations than anyone in his unit in order to break through the glass ceiling. Despite all the advances and equal opportunities legislation, much of the internal structure of the military was still a highly political environment. Nepotism wasn't just an unfortunate fact in the military, it was the rule.

Since he had no friends or relatives in the higher positions of power, the only way he could hope to advance was to perform deeds of such valour that they could not be ignored. He had to fight to earn everything he earned. He was a Colonel because he had earned it. As much as he didn't want to treat his children favourably, he had done all he could to ensure that they didn't have to face the same struggle. Of course this was different though. While he was no stranger to controversy or adversity, most of what he had faced was simply whispered insults. This was the first time anyone had seemed prepared to take their prejudice to the level of violence.

"Hi dad." Scott greeted him, making his way painfully to his father's side. "How are things?"

"Things are pretty good all things considered." Colonel Truman replied, taking a seat with him. "How are you feeling?"

"I'll live." He replied. "It looks like whoever did this only wanted to make a point. There's nothing serious, it could have been a lot worse."

"You are seriously hurt Scott." Dr. K called over from her work bench. "You do have severe bruising of the brain, and I haven't yet ruled out the possibility of internal bleeding."

"Thanks Dr. K." Scott groaned, looking to his father. He knew he would be worried, and the last thing he wanted was for his dad to try and convince him to lie low. It was bad enough that he had been hurt without appearing to be running scared from a few punks. "Dad, I'll be fine."

"Scott, this is a very serious matter." He told him sympathetically. "Do you remember anything about what happened in the alley?"

"Not really." He replied. "I remember chasing somebody, then the next thing I know I'm on the ground and guys are using my head as a kickball."

"So you have no idea who did this?" He asked him. Scott tried hard to remember the incident. He wasn't really surprised that he couldn't remember much. It had only been a couple of hours since the attack, and as Dr. K had reminded him, he had sustained quite a blow to the head. It was possible he would never remember what had happened.

"I think I remember one of them in a suit." Scott told him, thinking about it.

"You had been to the tailors to get your uniform adjusted." Colonel Truman reminded him. "Is it possible that you're just getting your facts mixed up?"

"For some reason it seems like an important detail." Scott said as he held his head. Colonel Truman looked at him a little concerned.

"Dr. K he seems to be in pain." He told her. "Could you give him something?"

"I'll administer a painkiller later." She told him. "Right now I wanted to give it a while before I inspect his injuries again. If there is any internal bleeding, then I'll know about it soon enough."

"Well that's reassuring to know." Scott muttered a little sarcastically.

"Scott, you aren't going to like what I'm about to tell you." Colonel Truman told him, putting down the evening newspaper. Scott looked at the page it had been turned to, reading the story about his attack. "They found a quantity of drugs at the scene."

"Dad, I don't do drugs." Scott told him flatly. "You know that, I'll take a piss test right now..."

"That won't be necessary Scott." Dr. K interrupted him. "If there was anything in your system it would have been picked up in my earlier tests."

"Dad, I don't take drugs." Scott repeated his assertion. "If there was anything at the scene, then it was probably dropped by one of my attackers."

"Sam's running some tests on the drugs to see if we can't trace them." Colonel Truman replied. "Until then, it's best we do nothing to attract attention to ourselves. The press is having a field day trying to suggest you were there to make a deal."

"Dad, this article's on page three." Scott commented. "Why isn't it the front page?"

"Would you rather you were being smeared on the front page?" Colonel Truman asked him in response. "Why don't you ask Summer how much fun that is?"

"Dad, you know what I mean; something like this should be front page news." Scott said a little impatiently, turning back to the headline. Colonel Truman shook his head apologetically as Scott read the banner headline.

"The Myth of the Hero of Corinth?" Scott read incredulously. "Marcus Truman a Coward?"

"I'm sorry Scott; it looks like you aren't the only Truman that's getting slammed in the papers today." Colonel Truman said quietly. "Someone from Eagle Squadron spoke to them off the record claiming that Marcus was flying away from the attack. They're saying he was a coward."

"Son of a bitch!" Scott snarled, throwing the newspaper aside in his anger. He got up, heading for the door, only to be cut off by his father. "You can't just stand back and let this happen!"

"Scott, I'm as upset about this as you are!" He yelled in response. "Marcus was my first born son. When I read that article, the only thing I wanted to do was find whoever told those lies about Marcus and break every bone in his body, but the way things are going that would only confirm what they're saying about us."

"Someone's launching a smear campaign against us." Scott spat bitterly. "Why would anyone do this?"

"I think I know." Colonel Truman told him. "Have you heard of The White Rose?"

"You're kidding right?" Scott asked him. "You think this is down to some non-existent cult?"

"A white rose was found on your body." Colonel Truman informed him. "That fact was kept out of the papers. I recently found out that they exist."

"So you're saying that it doesn't matter what we did for this city?" Scott hissed under his breath. "They're lying about us because we're not white?"

"Scott, think about it, there's now only a couple of million people left." Colonel Truman reminded him. "The objective of creating a single race colony's never been so attainable; the only real obstacle is us."

"We're the obstacle?" Scott asked him.

"Think about it, the Heroes of Corinth, the ones everyone owes their lives to, are the Truman family." He reminded him. "I think they're trying to sully our name."

"Well people can say what they want about me." Scott told him. "I don't care, but Marcus isn't here to fight back. They've gone too far."

"Trust me, I don't want to let this sit either, but until this dies down we can't risk alienating the public any further." He warned him. "Until further notice, the best thing we can do is lie low and not talk to the press."

Colonel Truman got up from his chair and placed a hand on Scott's shoulder reassuringly.

"I know this hurts, but we have to bide our time." He stated. "You know where I am if you want to talk."

"Thanks dad." He replied. "That's going to mean a lot."

With that, Colonel Truman left. Scott picked up the newspaper and looked at it once more in disgust, before throwing it into the trash.

He hated the fact that people were doing this to his family. It was bad enough that they were casting doubts on why he was in the alley, making it seem like he was there to buy drugs, but at least he was around to deny the fact. The thing that hurt the most was what they were saying about Marcus.

It wasn't fair that anyone was denying his valour or bravery during the Battle of Corinth. He had led the aerial assault. The evacuation would never have succeeded if it wasn't for him. Now though people were claiming that he hadn't done so. They were calling him a coward, and he wasn't there to defend himself. Since the wreckage of the plane was outside the dome, there was no way to prove the story one way or another.

"Scott, can I look at your injuries again?" Dr. K asked him, gesturing him over. Scott pulled off his shirt and came over to her, allowing her to look at the injuries to his ribs.

Dr. K inspected the injuries, feeling a little regret as she did so. She knew how upset Scott had been by Marcus' death, especially since he had found the flight recording. She knew that it played heavily on his mind.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly, checking some of the bruises tenderly. "What's happening isn't fair."

"It wouldn't be the first time something like this has happened." Scott told her. "Now I know how Summer felt."

"I'm sure most people will treat newspapers with as much contempt as I do." She said with as much warmth as she could manage. She hated how awkward she found social situations. Ranger Yellow seemed to make it seem so easy, but she just couldn't identify with the others in the same way. She understood feeling upset. She had more than enough pain in her own life, but she didn't seem to be able to empathise with others effectively. "They always report limited facts in order to achieve the story they want to write. Personally I like to know all the facts."

"Thanks Dr. K." Scott responded as she continued to examine him. "Sadly not everyone had an IQ of 218."

"Actually my IQ's too high to accurately measure." She corrected him, before rolling her eyes and groaning. As usual, she couldn't stay focused on the task at hand when a point of fact came up. She looked up, seeing Scott smiling slightly.

"Why doesn't that shock me?" He asked her. "I guess it just sucks that some people will believe the article. The worst part is I could have proved this is all a load of crap, and now I have nothing."

"You could have proved he was innocent?" Dr. K asked, feigning innocence. She knew about the flight recording, but she hadn't told Scott that. She didn't want him to know that as usual her curiosity got the better of her and she had copied it for further study. He had made her feel better at a time when she was certain that the other Rangers were going to turn their backs on her, and for that reason she hadn't turned the recording over to Colonel Truman. "How?"

Scott breathed a sigh as he realised what he had blurted out. He knew that by protocol he should have turned it in to his father, but in his desperation to hold onto his brother, he had kept it for himself. Over time though, it had started to mess with his mind, and he was becoming obsessed with it. In the end, he had confided in Flynn and asked him to dispose of it. If he knew what had happened to it, he knew he'd only seek it out.

"When I took the reactor from Marcus' plane I also took the flight recorder." He admitted. "I was just so desperate to have a piece of him with me that I never told anyone. It was starting to mess with my head, so I got rid of it."

He pulled his shirt back on and took a seat.

"I wish I'd just given it to dad like I was supposed to." He muttered. "Then we could do something about clearing his name."

"You still might be able to." Dr. K said quietly. She made her way to the computer and accessed the sound file, beginning to play the recording. "I know about the recording."

"How did you find out about this?" Scott asked her. "Where did you get it?"

"It was in your jacket the night you lent it to me." She confessed. "I made a copy. I know I shouldn't have, I know..."

Her words were cut off as Scott threw his arms around her, hugging her in his excitement, before turning back to the recording.

"I can't believe it; we have a chance to straighten this out!" He yelled excitedly. "Can you make a copy to give to dad?"

"I'll download it to a disk." She finally managed to say, feeling her face flushing as a result of his rather impromptu show of affection. "Just try to get some rest."

Scott made his way through to his bedroom, his excitement at being able to clear his brother's name obvious. It made Dr. K feel good about herself to finally be able to do something to repay Scott for everything he had done. It was then that she noticed something strange. She had been running the recording through a simulation to establish what had happened.

"This can't be right." She murmured. "I need to get a look at the wreckage."

With that, she pulled on her cloak and headed out of The Garage, making her way to Central Command. She needed to verify her findings before she presented them to the Colonel. If she was right, then there was a lot more to the incident than anyone thought.

Meanwhile, Ziggy and Flynn were over at the forensics lab with Sam as she ran some tests on the drugs. Despite her injuries, she insisted on going to the lab to help with the investigation. She made her way between a couple of different benches, using her crutches for support.

"You know I am here to help you know lass." Flynn reminded her, making his way to her side to help her as she stumbled.

"You know I have to get used to this myself." She reminded him. "I'm getting a lot stronger."

"You just don't want to push yourself too hard." Flynn reminded her. "You don't want to hurt yourself."

"If there's anywhere I'm not likely to hurt myself, it's the lab." She joked weakly. "I spend so much time here I could make my way around here blindfolded."

"So what are the results of the tests?" Ziggy asked her. Sam handed him a report.

"It's a pretty distinctive mixture." She told him. "One I'm sure you'll be familiar with."

"Diamond Dust." Ziggy sighed.

"What's that?" Flynn asked him.

"It's a kind of cocaine." He replied. "It's refined in a particular way that's unique to the Scorpion Cartel."

"So he was attacked by some of your old running buddies?" Flynn asked him.

"Unfortunately it looks that way." Ziggy replied, pulling out his cell phone. "Benny, it's me. I need to talk with you in private."

Meanwhile, Dr. K had arranged a small escort to take her from the city. Two soldiers followed her as she made her way to the wreckage of the plane, inspecting the fuselage for damage.

"Dr. K, with all due respect, can we hurry this along?" One of the soldiers demanded. "We don't want to risk running into a perimeter patrol."

"This shouldn't take long." She assured him, taking photographs of the damage. "Besides, the perimeter patrols aren't as active at night. We should be able to finish up here and get back to the city without being detected."

"So what are we looking for?" He asked her. "I take it you're trying to disprove the story in this evening's paper."

"If I'm right, I'll prove much more than that." She replied as she found the section of engine. "I knew it!"

"What is it?" He asked as he came over to her. "It's a damaged engine."

"The sound on the flight recording of the hit didn't sound right, and now I know why." Dr. K informed him, gesturing to the damage. "Venjix fighters use blasters. The scorching isn't what's interesting; it's the way the damage flares out like this."

She gestured to the twisted metal, mushrooming out from the main fuselage. "A blaster wouldn't cause this kind of damage, the laser beam would just smash straight through. This suggests that an explosion occurred on impact."

"So what does that mean?" He asked her, gesturing to his partner to move around as Dr. K was distracted by the wreckage.

"He wasn't hit by a blaster; he was hit by a missile." She stated. "That means he was shot down by someone on Eagle Squadron."

"So it was friendly fire?" The soldier asked her. Dr. K shook her head.

"No, the missiles on Corinth Fighters have a safety mechanism that scans any craft it locks onto for life signatures." She explained. "If there's anyone on board, the missiles will detonate at a safe distance. The only way those shots could have been fired is if someone disabled the safety mechanism. Marcus' plane being shot down was no accident. He was murdered."

Just then, she heard the click of a blaster being levelled behind her.

"Well it didn't take you long to figure that out." Her escorting guard told her. "It's just a shame we can't let that little piece of news get out."

"Killing me won't stop the truth from coming out eventually." She told him, holding up her hands where they could be seen.

"Who said anything about killing?" He asked her ask his accomplice handcuffed her hands behind her back. "Fortunately for you we still have a purpose for you."

"I'm not going to help you." She told them flatly.

"Trust me; the man we work for can be very persuasive." He replied.


	24. Dr K in Danger

Summer found herself sitting in a dark room, without any lighting whatsoever. Her heart started to beat a little faster as she searched around for some sign of where she was. She couldn't see anything but darkness. She had her arms wrapped tightly around herself for comfort.

"Hello?" She called out hopefully. "Is anyone there?"

There was no answer. No one called out to her. She tried to reach out, to feel her way around in the hopes of finding some way out, but found herself unable to move her arms. She struggled, finding that it was more than just being too scared to reach out. She physically couldn't move her arms, any time she tried her jacket pulled tightly against her. She pushed herself against the wall to struggle to her feet. It was spongy, and offered only minimal resistance. As her bare feet got to the floor, she found the surface just as soft. It was then that she realised to her horror where she was. She was in a padded cell, the reason she couldn't move her arms was because she was wearing a straightjacket. The lights came on, revealing the truth of her confinement to her.

"Help me!" She screamed as she struggled against her restraints. "I'm not meant to be here, let me go!"

A hatch opened up in one of the walls, exposing a safety glass partition, behind which was a viewing area. A doctor in a white coat led a small party into view. Summer smiled hopefully as Scott, Flynn, Ziggy, Dr. K and Colonel Truman came into view.

"Thank God you're here!" She exclaimed out loud, making her way to the glass. "There's been some kind of mistake, I don't belong here, please, tell them to let me go."

"She still doesn't remember what happened?" Colonel Truman asked the psychiatrist.

"It's the worst case of self-delusion I've ever seen." He commented sadly, shaking his head. "She doesn't even register the passage of time. She still thinks she's a Ranger."

"But she was committed over a year ago." Scott replied sympathetically.

"No I wasn't, I was in the Garage only a short time ago! I can't have been here more than a couple of hours!" She screamed, making her way to the glass. "Just ask Dillon, he was with me!"

"She's still asking after him." Flynn said with regret in his voice. "She really doesn't remember does she?"

"It's all part of the delusion." The psychiatrist explained. "It's a defence mechanism to protect her mind from what she did."

"What I did?" Summer screamed at them. "What did I do? Why am I in here?"

"I really wish I didn't have to see her like this." Ziggy sighed, turning his face from her. "He loved her so much, he just couldn't fight back. I never thought she could do anything like this."

"Look at me!" She screamed, kicking the glass as hard as she could, barely even feeling the flesh bruising painfully as she struck the impenetrable glass. "Someone tell me why the hell I'm in here! I'm not insane!"

"Tell that to my predecessor." Chas said as he stepped into view. Summer felt her face burning and her muscles tensing as she saw that he was wearing Dillon's RPM uniform. "Or rather, you could have if you hadn't killed him."

"I guess we were right about her all along sweetie." Brie said as she came to his side, wrapping an arm around her fiancé. "She always was a little off. I guess it's just a shame she finally snapped with the man she loved."

Summer saw to her horror that Brie was wearing her old RPM uniform. She had been replaced too, and if they were to be believed, she had killed Dillon, the only man she ever loved.

"No! This can't be true!" She screamed as she ran forward, slamming herself into the glass in her fury. "Dillon can't be dead, I just saw him!"

"She's flipping out again!" Brie called out. "You need to help her before she hurts herself."

A pair of guards rushed into the room and manhandled her roughly to the floor, holding her down. Summer continued to struggle, but it was useless. Their grip was too strong. Gates came into the room, carrying a large syringe.

"You can't do this to me, I'm not insane!" She screamed as she tried to break free.

"I don't know about that." Ronan told her as he appeared in the corner of the room, stepping towards her. "You are still seeing dead people."

"I know you couldn't help it." Dillon told her as he appeared in the room. "I don't blame you for what you did."

"Dillon!" She screeched as she renewed her struggle. "You're not dead! Guys, he isn't dead, he's right over there!"

"She still thinks he's alive." Scott said sadly as his father placed a hand on his shoulder. "Will she ever recover?"

"I'm sorry Ranger Red, but she had shown no sign of improvement at all since she was committed." Dr. K told him. "I'm afraid it looks like she'll be here for good."

"No, don't do this!" She screamed as Gates approached with the needle. "Don't do this to me!"

Just before the needle was plunged into her flesh, she found herself being shaken awake, and Dillon standing over her. She looked at him, afraid that she was hallucinating, and reached out to touch him to be sure.

"You told me to wake you if you started to freak." He told her. "You looked like you were seeing something pretty rough in there."

Summer launched herself forward into his arms, holding him tightly and wept. She wanted to get better, she really did, but she was terrified as soon as Dr. Young had suggested she stopped taking the meds.

"Was it really that bad?" He asked her. "Was it Ronan again?"

"No, this time was different." She told him. "I was in a psychiatric ward, I had been committed."

"Summer, you can't worry about that." He told her. "You aren't crazy, you're having a little trouble dealing with this, but you can't think that."

"All of the others were there; they had put me in there." She informed him. "They all thought I was crazy. Everyone did."

"Summer, they would never think that about you." He reminded her. "You know we all want you to get through this. We'll never abandon you."

"I killed you." She whispered gently. "They sent me there because I killed you."

"Summer, I know you could never hurt me." Dillon replied, holding her again.

"I just wish all of this would end." She murmured. "I think I still have some pills around here somewhere..."

"Summer, you know you aren't meant to do that." He reminded her. "Dr. Young wants you to face the dreams now."

"It's just so hard." She murmured. "I'm just so scared."

"You know I'll be here." He reminded her. "I'll always be here."

Just then, their morphers bleeped, informing them that they were being called into the lab. Summer groaned and threw off the covers, before grabbing some clothes.

"I guess I can try again later." She muttered.

"Well I'll be ready when you do." Dillon reminded her. Summer smiled as she thought about this. It was good to know that the Black Ranger was looking out for her.

Meanwhile, Ziggy made his way into a bar a few miles from The Garage. It was a small, dingy place, with low lighting and a faintly musty smell. There was a small band of regulars, but other than that, it was usually empty. Ziggy made his way to the bar.

"I'm meeting someone in the back room." He told the barman. The barman looked around to make sure no one was listening, before showing him through.

The reason this bar didn't do anything to spruce itself up and attract new clientele was because the sale of liquor was not its main source of income. There were a few people gambling on illegal games in the back. He was finally taken to a private room in the back. The door was opened, and he saw Benny, his old accomplice pacing the room impatiently.

"Ziggy!" He greeted the Green Ranger with an enthusiastic hug that threatened to break something. "What is this about?"

"It's about the attack on Scott." Replied, getting his breath back from his massive friend's hug. "We think members of the Cartel might have been involved."

"That can't be true." Benny told him with a chuckle. "Fresno Bob has a strict no-touch policy on the Rangers. He knows how much heat something like that would cause."

"We found some Diamond Dust at the scene." Ziggy told him. Benny rolled his eyes and took a seat. The production and distribution of drugs was a side of the business he was never comfortable with, and so out of respect for their friendship, Fresno Bob ensured Benny never had to get involved with it. Of course, he knew enough to know that only the Cartel produced Diamond Dust. "Fresno Bob isn't stupid, I know none of his guys would touch the Rangers intentionally, but maybe he interrupted a deal or something."

"They would have just surrendered and taken the sentence." Benny informed him. "A while ago, one of the Cartel's guys stole some...personal items...from the Yellow Ranger. He spent a month in the hospital. Everyone knows not to touch the Rangers, it'd be suicide."

"Well someone from the Cartel was there." Ziggy told him. "Could you ask around or something?"

"Ziggy, if someone was involved, they aren't likely to talk about it." He replied. "Like I said, they'd be as well walking butt naked into the wastes with a marching band in broad daylight if Fresno Bob found out."

Ziggy pulled a little closer.

"Benny, I could tell you more, but this is something that hasn't been leaked to the press. If I tell you this, you have to swear it'll remain between us." He told him. Benny nodded intently. "Have you ever heard of The White Rose?"

"You think this is a race thing?" Benny asked him.

"A white rose was found at the scene." He confirmed. "Do any of your guys show any kind of racist leanings?"

"None that I can think of." Benny told him.

"What about freelance work?" Ziggy asked him. "I know you and I didn't always just do what Bob told us to, sometimes we did our own jobs off the books. Do you think it's possible someone took a job for someone else?"

"It's possible, but there'd be no way for us to check." He told him. "I could ask around, but I doubt anyone will be too talkative."

"There is one more gambit we can take." Ziggy told him. "If we released the fact that the drugs at the scene..."

"Fresno Bob would go ape shit!" Benny confirmed. "He'd be shaking down everyone in the whole Cartel to find out why his drugs were there."

"When people get nervous they make mistakes." Ziggy told him. "Maybe this will shake someone up."

"Run the story." He told the Green Ranger. "Fresno Bob trusts me more than anyone. I'll be the one he gets to ask questions. If anyone has answers, I'll find him."

"Thanks Benny." Ziggy replied. "I'll have Colonel Truman make a press statement tomorrow morning. Be careful Benny."

"You too little guy." He replied warmly. "You too."

They arrived down in the lab, finding Scott there already, looking up at a communications link on the screen with Colonel Truman.

"What's going on?" Dillon asked as they arrived in the room.

"Dr. K was taking something over to Central Command for the Colonel to look at." Scott told them. "She isn't back yet, and she left almost three hours ago."

"Scott called me to find out what the hold-up was." Colonel Truman continued. "I haven't seen her all night."

"So where is she?" Dillon asked as he and Summer exchanged a slightly worried glance. It wasn't often that Dr. K ventured out of her lab, and she certainly never did so for very long, even with an armed escort.

"I set an armed escort for her at her request." Colonel Truman told them. "I've tried reaching them, but so far I've not heard anything back from them."

"They were last heard from at gate 74." Scott continued to the others. "It's near the forensics lab. I asked Flynn to check it out on his way back."

"Scott, I don't think you're going to want to hear this." Flynn's voice announced over the communicators. "I'm near the gate, and I've found something."

"What is it?" Scott asked him.

"I found a couple of guys matching the description of the guards that were sent to collect Dr. K." He informed them as he knelt down over a pair of recently murdered corpses that had been hastily stashed behind a hedge. "They're dead."

"Is there any sign of Dr. K?" Scott asked him in a panic.

"No, there's not even any real sign of a struggle." Flynn told them. "Whoever did this got the drop on them. It looks like they were taken out pretty cleanly, and their clothes and guns are gone."

"Wait, someone took their clothes?" Summer asked him. "Why would anyone want to do that?"

"If her armed escort didn't turn up, Dr. K would just have come back." Scott reminded her. "Whoever did this must have known that and sent someone in their place."

"Is there any luck tracing her with her communicator?" Dillon asked him.

"It was the first thing we tried." Scott told him regretfully. "Either it's turned off, or it's been destroyed. Neither one is good; Dr. K's too smart to go off the radar like that willingly."

"So you think it looks like someone's taken her?" Dillon asked in response. "She's responsible for all the technology that keeps the city safe. Why would she do something like that?"

"Right now I think the main worry is how to find her." Scott replied sharply, feeling more than a little guilt creeping into his heart. It looked like whoever had taken her had taken the opportunity provided by her leaving the Garage to give the recording to Colonel Truman. "Flynn, stay there until we get there. If you see or hear anything, I don't care if it's a rat, suit up. Don't take any chances. The last thing we need is another member of the team MIA."

The others quickly ran to their vehicles, preparing to leave the Garage. Scott called Ziggy to relay their meeting point, but all he could feel was guilt. Dr. K was in danger, and it looked like it was all because of him. If he had just given the recording to his father, none of this would have happened. All he could do now was hope that the fact she hadn't been found meant she was more useful to whoever had killed those soldiers alive.

Dr K was dragged along a corridor, before being dumped on the floor somewhat less than gently. She tried to get to her feet, only to be shoved over by a heavy boot. She couldn't see where she was, her captors had pulled a heavy canvas bag over her head to prevent her seeing where she was being taken, and her guards were careful to distract her and disorientate her in case she somehow tried to calculate her location.

"I guess you must be The White Rose." She sneered, getting to her knees. "Congratulations. You're powerful enough to kidnap an 80 lb girl that isn't even out of her teens."

She was sent to the floor as one of them struck her hard on the side of her head with a solid object, she presumed the butt of his blaster. Shortly afterwards, she heard a shot being fired and a body falling to the floor.

"I told the two of you she was to be unharmed!" She heard a familiar voice roaring wildly. The bag was ripped from her head and she found herself staring at Gate's sick, twisted face. He helped her up into a chair and gently stroked the side of her face that was swollen. "I do hope he hasn't harmed that wonderful brain of yours. It would be a shame if you lost all value to us."

She looked around, recognising the room with horror. There were cold, grey, perfectly smooth walls of clinically clean concrete. Stainless steel work benches were all around the room, covered in all manner of scientific instruments and computers. In one corner, there was a simple bed with a single blanket and pillow, while in the other was a violin.

"This isn't possible." She whispered, looking back to Gates.

"I know, this is just a reproduction, but I thought you'd like a little touch of home." He replied sarcastically. "Alphabet Soup was destroyed. It was many miles from here, but then I'm sure I don't have to tell you that considering the fact you walked here."

"But how could you possibly know about Alphabet Soup?" She asked him. "It was classified to the highest levels of government. When I came to Corinth, even Colonel Truman didn't know about it..."

"I know because I was one of the project leaders." He informed her. "While I was in the Military, I was given a psychiatric evaluation, following which I was approached by some government agents. Apparently my results showed me to have a highly desirable combination of loyalty, intelligence and, shall we say, moral flexibility?"

"That's more than a little bit of an understatement." She grumbled. "What is this all about?"

"Well you already mentioned The White Rose." He reminded her. "So you've already figured out that part."

He turned to the one remaining guard, who still stood, frozen over the body of his murdered comrade. Blood was leaking into an increasingly large pool on the floor from a single hole in his skull.

"Pick that up and leave us would you?" He stated, waving him off. The guard simply nodded and dragged his comrade away, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Gates turned back to Dr. K.

"I was brought in to oversee the government think tank known as Alphabet Soup." He informed her. "Completely off the books of course, not even my own squad leaders were allowed to know what I was doing. I was simply to come in for a week every month to oversee the productivity of our charges."

"Your slaves you mean!" Dr. K snapped.

"Ah, yes, that was one of my better ideas." He reminisced as though talking about some beautiful memory. "You see originally we recruited the usual candidates. University graduates, scientists, computer programmers and such like. However we had a major problem. We recruited them voluntarily. They had a nasty habit of using our technology to come up with their own ideas and projects, and keep them for their own profit once they left the Soup. Some were patriotic enough to be manipulated into giving up all their ideas, but the others realised their ideas were more useful if they kept them for profit."

He crossed to the computer and opened a file showing the personnel files of Alphabet Soup. "I however realised that there were people easily as smart as them, but who hadn't yet grown up enough to realise their ideas were more profitable outside of the government. All we had to do was get to them young enough to stop them forming those annoying little selfish tendencies."

"You stole children!" She replied in disgust. "Most were little more than babies!"

"Like I said, we caught them before they grew up too much." He replied. "That way we could mould them into what we wanted. People who would work all those precious little brain cells as hard as they could for nothing more than a birthday cake every year."

"I was five years old when you took me." She protested. "The only memory I have before Alphabet Soup was the day your goons took me away. I don't even remember my name!"

"The thing is, the idea worked really well. It turns out that as well as not having any mercenary leanings the kids had something those others did, a certain level of creativity that tends to be taught out of us by others by our adulthood." He continued. "Our technological advancement increased exponentially."

"So what is your connection to The White Rose?" She asked him. "Alphabet Soup was a government agency. Racism doesn't seem to fit their agenda. Many of their members were..."

"You're right about that; The White Rose is nothing to do with Alphabet Soup, or the government." He told her. "That was all my creation."

"Why?" She asked him. He just gave her a little smirk.

"Do you know what it's like living your whole life, watching everyone take what's rightfully yours?" He asked her. "I've worked hard my whole life, to be the smartest, the strongest, and the absolute finest in every field I've ever entered, and still I don't get the recognition I deserve. I have to smile and clap as I watch the incompetent and the weak being given accolades and promotions before me. It happened all my life, even in Alphabet Soup. The one thing that I had that I excelled in was the military. I was easily the most qualified for the position of Colonel. I planned to resign from the Soup and finally claim what I'd always longed for, a position of respect and honour, where for once everyone would recognise me as the better man."

"You never made it." Dr. K surmised. He took in a sharp breath and his fists clenched tightly in his anger.

"I was passed over again for Truman!" He hissed angrily, remembering that day. "Our accomplishments were almost identical, but I was easily the smartest. Of course, he had one thing that I didn't."

"You think he was chosen over you..."

"I know he was!" Gates interrupted her angrily. "Political agendas screwed me out of everything I ever wanted. I had to watch as another inferior man took what was rightfully mine."

"Colonel Truman isn't inferior." Dr. K taunted him. "His accomplishments since then more than prove that."

"When the Battle of Corinth came around, I volunteered for service." He told her, ignoring her support of Truman. "I knew that if anything would earn me the accolade I deserved, it would be the aerial defence. Only when Colonel Truman was set to make the decision who flew the lead position, I knew who he'd choose. His father took the command from me, and his son was going to steal the honour. I couldn't let that happen. That's why I disabled the safety mechanism on my missiles."

"You murdered Marcus?" She asked him.

"I couldn't let him come home as the Hero of Corinth." He told her coldly. "I knew if that happened, I'd be bowing and scraping to the Trumans forever, so I made sure he never came home."

"So what am I here for?" She asked him. He smiled and reached out a hand, stroking her hair.

"You're here to make everything fit into place." He told her. "You see, my plan is almost complete. The Truman name is in doubt, Chas' popularity has never been greater, and the ceremony is only a few days away. All I need is the weapon to make everything complete."

"You're going to assassinate Colonel Truman!" She gasped in her moment of clarity.

"His son as well." He replied. "With two of Corinth's heroes being executed in broad daylight, the Mayor will be pressured to resign, and with only one of Corinth's true 'heroes' left, who do you think won't vote for Chas?"

"You are aware he's an idiot aren't you?" She asked him. Gates gave a huge laugh and moved around behind her.

"I'm counting on it!" He responded loudly. "He thinks my agenda's to get him into power. Once he's the Mayor, who do you think he's going to name as Colonel Truman's successor?"

"So all of this is just to get Colonel Truman's job?" She asked him.

"I couldn't even care less about The White Rose." He told her. "I created them and their policy as a way to get followers gullible enough to follow me. You see, now that Colonel Truman runs the defence of Corinth, he effectively runs the city. Even the mayor tends to go with his decisions. Once I'm in his job, I will rule what's left of the human race."

"What makes you think I'll help you?" She asked him.

"You don't have a choice." He explained, snapping a shackle onto her left ankle, securing her to the wall. "No one knows where you are. There's no way to escape."

"So what happens if I won't do it?" She asked him. "What will you do? You can't hurt me, and you certainly can't kill me. If you need me, then you can't risk leaving me unable to work."

"No, but what I can offer you is what Alphabet Soup never could, the chance to leave." He told her. "You see, I know your dirty little secret. I know it was you who created Venjix."

Her eyes grew wide in alarm as he said this. She had carried the burden of that knowledge alone for so long. In her desperation to escape from Alphabet Soup, she had created the Venjix Virus to blind their security system, but she was caught and prevented from uploading the firewall necessary to restrict it to the compound. It had uploaded itself to the internet, and from there it had spread to virtually every system on earth.

"How do you really think everyone will feel once I tell them that you are singlehandedly responsible for the end of the world?" He asked her. "They don't burn witches anymore, but I'm sure they'll make an exception in your case. You did cause what? Nearly 6 billion deaths?"

He leaned over her shoulder, and whispered in her ear.

"Everyone will hate you, everyone has a reason to. I wouldn't be surprised if the Rangers were the ones carrying the torches when the citizens of Corinth torch you." He whispered as tears started running down her face. "If you create this weapon for me, then when the plan comes to fruition, I'll let you go. If you don't, then I'll make sure everyone knows who they have to thank for their new lives in this dome."


	25. The Ranger's Next Step

Fresno Bob sat at his usual table in the celebrity box at the race track, eating his favourite breakfast of eggs Benedict. Life had been relatively good to him lately, other than the embarrassing incident with the truckload of medical supplies; he was still easily the most powerful and influential crime lord in the city. In truth, only Colonel Truman had any more genuine power than he did, anyone that didn't answer to him wasn't really worth his concern. Ronan and The Blue Crew had tried to muscle their way into dominance for a while after word got out that Ziggy had stolen the shipment, but they didn't have the man-power to win a decisive victory. Now, the city was in no doubt that Fresno Bob was the main man in town.

"Where's the paper?" He asked through a mouthful of his chosen breakfast. "Normally it's here by now."

"I thought it might ruin your appetite." Benny replied a little sheepishly before handing over the paper. He and Bob had been firm friends long before the formation of the Cartel. At one time, Fresno Bob had been plain old Bob Taylor, and a well-known fight promoter, while Benny was known as "Gentle Ben" as an ironic joke to his size and strength on the fight circuit. Benny used to be a boxer, one that rarely lost a match. He had met Bob one time in a bingo hall after what seemed like his 1000th win over another faceless journeyman that the boxing authority didn't seem to acknowledge as a reason to give him a title shot. Bob had the connections though, and he knew there was something special in Benny.

Fresno Bob spat what was in his mouth onto the plate in shock as he read the headline.

"Scorpion Cartel Jumps Red Ranger?" He roared in his anger, flashing so read he looked like he was seconds away from a heart attack. "Benny?"

He trusted Benny the most of all his henchmen, largely out of guilt. Back when Benny was still a legitimate fighter, Fresno Bob was still working his way up in the Cartel. He used Benny a few times in illegal bare-knuckle fights to earn money and position. He knew Benny hated that side of their partnership, but he was so intent on taking over from his old boss that he just had to secure his position. One night though, things hadn't gone so well. While Benny won the fight, his injuries were so extensive, it was clear that his professional boxing career was over. He was left with only 10 per cent vision in his left eye. His tunnel vision in the left side was so bad that there was no way he could hope to stand against any real competitors. When The Icepick, Fresno Bob's predecessor was killed in a drive-by, and he ended up in control of the Cartel, he felt duty-bound to keep Benny on as his right-hand man. More than just his best friend and confidante, he knew that Benny had given everything for him. A man his age without a high school diploma and almost no sight in one eye had very few employment opportunities.

"It says that some Diamond Dust was found near him after the attack." Benny replied. He wasn't overly comfortable lying to his boss and long-time friend, but he was more than aware of his evil temper. That was why he had suggested this plan to Ziggy.

"When was he attacked?" Fresno Bob asked, not bothering to look up from the paper.

"The 14th." Benny replied.

"Get everyone on the payroll in here, and I do mean EVERYONE!" He snarled, throwing the paper in the bin. "I want to know who thinks they can mess around off the books and completely ignore my orders and get away with it!"

"Bob..."

"Benny, this is going to cause a massive shit storm to fall right on my head!" He interrupted him angrily. "Colonel Truman's going to want to know what happened to his son, and when he finds out I want to be sure he knows it isn't down to me or our business isn't going to be worth shit by the time he's finished!"

"I'll get everyone in here." Benny replied, making his way out the door. He got a small smile as left. Ziggy's gambit had paid off; Fresno Bob was going to find out who attacked Scott, one way or another.

Back at the Garage, Colonel Truman and Corporal Hicks had come to talk to the Rangers about the situation they were in. Colonel Truman stroked the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

"We're pretty sure that The White Rose has her." He began. "She's a valuable tool to them."

"She isn't a tool, she's a person!!" Scott snapped instinctively without realising it. He looked around nervously at the others as they stared at him and sat back down wordlessly.

"She isn't to them." Corporal Hicks chipped in. "Their only agenda is to create a single race by any means necessary. To them, anyone's expendable."

"This is horrifying." Summer commented. "How could anyone think like that?"

"Believe me, I know all about racism." Colonel Truman assured her. "I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't kick open a few doors that were closed to me."

"I'm still waiting to hear from Benny about the attack on Scott." Ziggy told them. "I doubt it'll take Fresno Bob long to find whoever did that if they are in the Cartel. He doesn't let anyone threaten his business."

"Until we know what's happening, we have to continue like nothing's wrong." Colonel Truman ordered them. "If the public finds out that the woman we've been relying on for our safety is in the hands of a cult, all hell will break loose."

"So we just pretend nothing's wrong?" Flynn asked him.

"Until we know where she is yes." Colonel Truman replied. "That means no one talks to the press, no one talks to anyone outside this room, and most importantly, the ceremony is on regardless!"

"The ceremony?" Scott asked incredulously. "Dad, I couldn't care less about that God damned medal right now!"

"You aren't the only one that cares about her." Colonel Truman snapped at his son. "I was the one that found her, barely alive in the wastes. She's never told me the full story, but I'm the only government figure she trusts. I know how important she is to the city, hell we'd all have been wiped out long ago if it wasn't for her."

He got up, crossing over to his son and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"If we change our lives because those who don't like us threaten violence, then they've won." He reminded him. "That's how terrorism works."

"I know that dad." Scott replied. "But I think..."

"If nothing else, that day isn't just for you and me." He interrupted him. "It's for Marcus."

"I know that dad." Scott whispered, slumping down a little in his chair in defeat. "I'll be there."

"We all will." Summer chipped in, patting his shoulder.

"So how are we going to filter the crowd?" Flynn asked. "Sorry to rain on the parade, but there are going to be thousands of people there, and we can't be sure every single one of them will be checked for weapons."

"I have a solution to that." Ziggy piped up. "Tenaya told me her eyes have been modified. She doesn't know why, but they have. The point is, they can do a weapons scan. We just need to take her."

"Ziggy, why would she help us?" Dillon asked him.

"Is it such a great idea to take her out of here?" Flynn asked. "I mean, she is Venjix's right-hand robot."

"She's not a robot!" Ziggy barked before he could stop himself. "Besides, we all know how she was treated by it. She's in no hurry to go back to that life."

"Well it isn't like it's much of an issue." Scott stated. "She's still paraplegic remember? We can't exactly wheel her through the crowd when everyone in the city's going to be there."

"We could always remove the other implant." Ziggy suggested. "Dr. K was going to do it anyway."

"Ziggy, there's no way we could do that." Summer reminded him. "Dr. K has surgical experience, none of us do."

"None of us do." He agreed, before pointing at Flynn. "But his girlfriend does."

"Sam isn't a surgeon, she's a forensic scientist." Flynn reminded him. "None of the people she opens up are alive."

"She has to take the same care as a surgeon." Ziggy replied. "It's not like she hacks the bodies open with a meat cleaver, she'd destroy evidence."

"Ziggy, this is insane." Scott told him. "We can't..."

"Does anyone else have a better idea?" He asked them. None of the Rangers could answer. "She's wearing the restraining bracelet. She can't take it off, so we'll be able to find her even if she does run. Besides, she isn't going back to Venjix."

"Ziggy, the implant's in her spinal cord." Flynn reminded him. "We can't risk removing it, if we do it wrong then she'll be crippled for life anyway."

"Just hope Sam doesn't do it wrong then." Ziggy replied, getting up from his chair.

"As much as I hate to say it, I can't come up with a better plan." Colonel Truman sighed. "Flynn, call Sam and tell her what's happening. Summer, set up the lab for the operation."

He got up with Corporal Hicks and started to leave. He stopped momentarily as he thought of something.

"Scott, rest up." He told him. "You need to be ready in time for the ceremony."

Scott just nodded in response. As they left, he stormed into his room, leaving the others alone.

"I guess I better call the better half." Flynn stated, making his way to the phone.

"I'll just go and prepare the lab." Summer stated, leaving the room. Dillon got up and left the room, leaving Ziggy alone with his thought. He was terrified about the outcome of the procedure, but so far the only person he was certain could carry it out was nowhere to be found. He got up and made his way to the secure holding area, accessing the retinal scan and stepping inside. He found Tenaya there in her chair as always. She was still restrained with heavy shackles, despite her disability, a little evidence of Dr. K's paranoia. He made his way towards her.

"Ziggy!" She greeted him as he approached from behind her. She smiled as she realised it was him. Apart from him, the only person that came to this part of the lab was Dr. K and she usually only came to check on her vitals or run some experiments on her.

"How'd you know it was me?" He asked her, coming round in front of her.

"I smelled your aftershave." She told him. "You always put on a little too much."

"I'll keep that in mind." He replied.

"No, I like it." She said quickly as she realised she had unintentionally said something that could be taken as an insult. "It means I know when you're coming. I like it when you come to see me."

Ziggy laughed a little nervously, hiding his blush. Girls just didn't get him; he was always a little odd. For the first time, there was a girl that actually seemed to be interested in what he had to say. It was a little disappointing that it was a girl who just happened to be their prisoner and relied on them for her survival, but it was a nice change for a girl to compliment him.

"Tenaya, we're going to remove the other implant." He told her. Her eyes grew wider in fear as she heard this. As much as she wanted the use of her legs back, she was pointedly aware of the potential consequences if things went wrong.

"Is Dr. K sure I'm ready?" She asked, her voice quivering.

"Dr. K isn't here." Ziggy replied, feeling her panic growing by the second. "Sam will be doing the operation."

"The one the Blue Ranger cares for?" She asked. "What happened to Dr. K?"

"We don't know, that's why Sam will do the operation." Ziggy told her. He took her hand gently and smiled at her. "Everything will be fine."

"She must hate me." Tenaya stated, remembering the time she injured Sam in her battle with Flynn.

"She doesn't hate you." Ziggy replied warmly, kneeling in front of her. "She's grateful for what you did. She's walking now because of the transfusion you gave her."

"Ziggy, I'm scared." She told him. "I'm really scared, will you stay with me?"

He just smiled at her and squeezed her hand a little.

"I'll be there holding your hand through the whole thing." He assured her.

Back in the holding cell, Dr. K was lying on the bed, contemplating her position, trying to figure out an escape plan, but she just couldn't think of one. Even if she managed to remove the shackle from her ankle, even if she somehow opened the door, she was certain Gates would have several armed guards watching her.

Worse still, even if she managed to escape them, she knew what would happen. Gates would tell everyone what she had done. There would be nowhere she could hide, everyone would hate her.

She could see the anger and hatred in the eyes of the people now as she thought about it. Corinth didn't have the death penalty, but she was sure that Gates was right when he said they'd make an exception in her case. She had single-handedly destroyed the world. She had always been alone, and she had taken to using formal address instead of using people's names as a way of distancing herself. Even when Colonel Truman, one of the few people she trusted without question had invited her to call him Mason, she still reverted to Colonel Truman. The only people she had addressed by their first names, dared to form any form of attachment to, were Gem and Gemma, and they had died in the invasion.

Now though, despite her best efforts, despite everything she had done to distance herself, she had finally dared to care about the Rangers, and she was certain she was going to lose that.

Ziggy was annoying, but she had to admit that when she was alone in her bedroom, recalling all of the day's events, finding him amusing. Sure, he was a screw up, and he hadn't been chosen as a Ranger, it just kind of happened that way. She'd have loved it if she had another dependable team member like Scott or Flynn as Ranger Green, but in many ways he was easily the most eager. He worked harder than any of them to improve since he knew that he was the weakest team member. He also had a certain childish quality that in many ways she envied. She could remember the time that they seemed to be on the verge of losing the war and the only thing Ziggy asked her, the only thing he needed to know was that they were "The Good Guys" to give him faith that they would win. Having been a slave to logic all of her life, she sometimes wished she could have that level of faith again.

Dillon had annoyed her too, but mainly because he constantly questioned her. Where the others were content to trust her judgement and go along with whatever she had said, he stood up to her almost as a force of habit.

She could remember the feeling as she told him the terrible truth about the growth of his implants, and that eventually he would be nothing more than a machine. It was a horrifying sensation, one she wished she'd never feel again. The only thing worse was the feeling in her heart as she saw the look on Summer's face when she heard. She knew Summer cared for him, even before she was prepared to admit it herself. She knew that Dillon was her "10" on the cuteness scale; she just wished she could do more for him. Of course she also knew that he would be the first to exact his vengeance. Not only had he lost all his memories, he was also going to lose his consciousness to Venjix eventually. He had lost literally everything to Venjix, and so he had lost it all because of her.

Summer had told her a little about her life before the invasion, and she spoke very fondly of Andrews. She knew that Summer was having her problems, problems she was certain would not be helped when she realised why exactly the world had gone to hell in a hand basket. If it wasn't for her, she was sure that by now Summer would be married to Chas with a couple of kids and living in a huge house. As much as she didn't like Chas, she had to think that life was probably better than what Summer was going through now. Even if she did get through her therapy sessions, Dr. K knew she'd be heartbroken when she lost Dillon to the virus in his implants. She had as much reason as anyone to hate her.

Flynn had never really spoken much about his life before Corinth, but from what little he had said she had surmised he hadn't really lost any relatives to Venjix. His father had raised him alone for most of his life, and he had made it into the dome during the invasion. In truth, she didn't really know if Flynn had lost anyone during the invasion, but that was almost worse. She didn't know because she had never asked, she had never found out. He had trusted her completely and in return, she knew little, if anything, about him. She didn't even know where he had learned to be a mechanic, the one time she asked, he just walked off without answering. As kind-hearted as he was, she was certain he would turn on her.

Finally there was Scott, her Red Ranger. She had admired him for as long as she had known him. Even before they met in person, she admired him. He was always strong and confident, things she could never hope to be.

He was the first one she had tested for the Ranger technology, and she had been breath taken at his results. More than just passing the tests, there was something about him that gave her confidence he would lead Project Ranger to victory over her hellish creation.

She also had to admit having feelings for him she hadn't experienced before. Other than her guards and Gem, who she had never considered in that way, she had never really been around men before. She was more than aware of the effects of hormones and human reproduction, and through the occasional trashy novel she got her hands on in Alphabet Soup she even had a basic understanding of romance. Of course, none of that had prepared her for what she felt for Scott. She had watched the footage of his training sessions so many times that she had almost burned out hard drive of her main computer. Actually dealing with the Rangers face-to-face only made it harder. She had to find a way to look him in the face and talk to him with the authority she knew he expected, while she was suppressing the fantasies of what would happen if she could let her guard down and tell him that she loved him.

Of course, she knew that didn't matter. Even if Gates didn't tell him, Scott would find out somehow, and he had more reason than anyone to despise her. He had lost Marcus, the brother he had idolised and liven in the shadow of his whole life. Marcus was killed in the invasion, and as much as she now knew the truth, that he was murdered by Gates out of jealousy, it was still down to her. The invasion was her fault, she had created Venjix, if she hadn't done that, Scott would still have his brother. More than the others, it pained her to know that Scott would turn on her. He would hurt her; perhaps even kill her for what she had done. In many ways, not only wouldn't she blame him, she would welcome the release.

The door to her cell opened and Gates came in, carrying a disc. The door closed behind him.

"You want me to create a weapon." Dr. K began. "Perhaps it would be prudent to tell me what kind of weapon. After all, telepathy isn't one of my talents."

"I thought I'd give you a while to consider my offer first." He told her, sitting on the bed next to her and stroking her hair. "Are you ready to begin?"

"What do you want me to build?" She asked him in an exasperated tone. Gates crossed to a console and loaded the disk, showing her the main screen.

"Project Strychnine?" She asked him in horror.

"It was one of the little ideas I had back at the Soup." He told her.

"But it was scrapped because it was dangerous!" She reminded him. "It's inhumane it's..."

"It's a weapon." He interrupted her, grabbing her shirt and throwing her over to the work station. "Get to work."


	26. Beginning Project Strychnine

Four members of the Scorpion Cartel were thrown roughly into the skybox of the race track by their comrades as Fresno Bob paced the room impatiently. Benny waited by the bar, fixing himself a hot chocolate as he awaited what was to come. Every member of the Cartel had been ruthlessly questioned about their whereabouts on the night Scott was attacked until only four remained who did not have alibis that could be backed up by anyone but each other.

"I know a little freelance work is done on the side." He began as they stood up. "I used to do a little myself back when I worked for Icepick. Of course, I always knew the golden rule."

He took a sip from his coffee mug and approached them menacingly. He eyed them up judgementally.

"You never do anything that jeopardises your day job."

"Sir, if I can explain..."

"Explain what Geoff?" He interrupted one of the henchmen as he tried to stammer out an apology. "Explain why you broke the no-touch rule on the Rangers?"

"Sir..."

"The Rangers are the most visible people in the city!" He snarled as he slapped the gangster. "The only reason we exist is because Colonel Truman isn't focusing all his attention on us! Did you think at all before you kicked the crap out of his son?"

"Sir, we didn't know who the target was until the attack." One of them added, causing Fresno Bob to glare at him. "The guy came to us and offered us 10,000 a piece to rough up the first guy to come out of the tailors shop. He never told us it was Truman."

"So when you found out you were meant to attack the Red Ranger you went ahead with it?" He asked him angrily. "What part of 'don't touch the Rangers' do you not understand?"

"It was ten grand!" He replied, but immediately he regretted it. The Cartel member behind him clubbed him across the back of the neck, sending him to the floor. The others were quickly grabbed and held in place.

"Now, we're in the shit big style, all because all of you valued the continued success of our business as less than 10 grand." He replied, gesturing to a door. A small man, with bleached white hair and thick glasses stepped inside, and the men all immediately began pleading for their lives. "Mr. Smith, it's time to earn your pay check. I need to know who hired these idiots to attack Truman."

"I'll find out." He replied, setting down a brief case and opening it. It contained a number of blades, saws and devices, all gleaming and immaculately clean. They were instruments of torture, and he had studied how to use each of them extensively. It also contained a few less-refined instruments, including barbed wire and a taser.

"Start on that one." Fresno Bob stated, pointing to one of them. "He seems talkative."

"It was Corporal Gates!" He yelled in his panic. "Please, don't hurt us, we didn't mean to endanger the business, we just thought it was an easy job!"

"Well I hope you all spent that money well." He replied. "It's about to pay for a three hour session with Mr. Smith here. You may begin."

As Benny and Fresno Bob left the room to allow Mr. Smith to begin his sadistic work, Benny made a mental note to forward this information to Ziggy. When facing Mr. Smith, armed with a copper pipe and barbed wire, no one dared to lie. Gates was the man they were looking for.

Back at the bunker, Gates left Dr. K's cell, finding one of the senior cultists outside the door waiting for him.

"We kidnapped her as you asked." He began, fidgeting nervously. "She is the Ranger's friend. This is a lot to bring down on ourselves. I must ask..."

"There is a purpose to her being here my loyal deacon." He replied, slapping his hand on the robed cultist's shoulder. "We're beginning Project Strychnine as I promised."

"Really?" He asked.

"That is why she is here." Gates replied. "Soon, the mission will be complete."

"We will have a superior race." The cultist replied. "She will manufacture the virus?"

"She has no choice." He replied. "By the end of the day, you will all have your vaccines."

"This will be a glorious day for humanity." The cultist replied, walking away.

"You have no idea." Gates replied.

Back at the Garage, Ziggy was with Tenaya, easing her nerves before the procedure as his cell phone went off. He checked the caller ID, finding that it was Benny who was calling.

"Benny, what's going on?" He asked his old friend.

"Fresno Bob found the guys that attacked your friend." He informed him. "They're enjoying a session with Mr. Smith."

Ziggy sucked his teeth at the mere mention of the name. He almost felt sorry for them, Mr. Smith was not only good at his job, but he enjoyed it too. His name was legend in the Cartel. Everyone knew that a session with him was a living nightmare.

"So do we know what happened?" He asked.

"They said they were hired by a guy called Corporal Gates." Benny replied, checking that no one was listening. "He paid them 10 grand a piece!"

"I knew Gates was a jerk, but this is way beyond what I expected of him." Ziggy stated. "He's involved with The White Rose?"

"That's for you to find out." Benny said, looking around again. "Fresno Bob's probably looking for me, I have to go. Good luck Ziggy."

"You too big guy." Ziggy replied, hanging up and putting his phone away.

"Gates is behind this?" Tenaya asked him. Ziggy nodded.

"It seems so." He told her. "It'll take a while to be able to prove it, especially since we have no idea why he had Scott attacked."

"Perhaps he's jealous of him." Tenaya suggested.

"I think it's something deeper than that." Ziggy replied. At that point, Sam came into the room.

"Summer's prepared the lab." She told them, steadying herself on her crutches. "You'll have the somewhat dubious honour of being my first living patient."

"Ziggy?" Tenaya asked fearfully.

"I already told you, I'll be there." He stated in answer to her unasked question. He made his way around behind her, and started pushing her chair towards the lab. "Everything will be fine."

Dr. K was working in her cell, working through the kinks in Project Strychnine. Gates came into the room, making his way behind her and stroking her shoulders.

"How is it coming?" He asked her.

"Slowly." She muttered. "It has many of the problems it had before."

"Will a working version be ready by the time the ceremony comes?" He asked her.

"It'll be up and running by then." She told him. As much as she hated doing this, she knew she didn't really have a choice. "It does seem like a strange plan given your agenda. Surely there are more efficient ways..."

"Have you ever read 'Alice in Wonderland'?" He asked, interrupting her.

"15 times before I was 6." She responded. "Why?"

"Do you remember the poem about the Carpenter, the Walrus and the Curious Oysters?" He asked her. Dr. K recoiled into her seat.

"They don't know what Project Strychnine is, do they?" She asked him. Gates laughed.

"Why do you think only I'm allowed to enter your cell?" He asked her. "Keep working."

As he left, Dr. K felt a new sense of dread. Gates clearly placed no value on life, and was willing to sacrifice anyone to get what he wanted. It was a bad idea to let him get his hands on Project Strychnine, but she didn't have a choice. If he carried through on his threat and made sure the people of Corinth knew what she had done, she knew she would wish for death long before it came.

Back at the Garage, Tenaya was lifted onto the table in the lab and restrained. Sam prepared her tools for seemingly the millionth time.

"You don't have to do this lass." Flynn reminded her. "I know..."

"Flynn, I owe her everything. If it wasn't for her I'd still be in a bed in hospital." She reminded him. "I might have been crippled for life if it wasn't for her."

"She was the one that hurt you." He reminded her. "Look..."

"It's the first time I'm working with someone that's still alive, I'm nervous enough." She told him. "Please, I'm no Dr. K, just help me alright?"

"You know I will." He replied. "I just don't know about this plan."

"I don't either." She replied. "We do what we have to."

"Are you almost ready?" Ziggy asked as he held Tenaya's hand gently.

"Flynn, spread the lotion." She instructed her boyfriend. He started spreading it across her lower back. "I have to say again that I really don't feel comfortable with this, if you want to back out..."

"We don't have a choice." Ziggy reiterated as he slid under the table to look up into Tenaya's eyes, keeping a hold of her hand. "We know you'll do fine Sam."

Tenaya smiled, seeing the Green Ranger before her. It felt right to have him there. Somehow she just felt like everything would go alright as long as he was there with her.

"OK, here goes." Sam replied, taking a scalpel from the table next to her. "I'm making the first incision."

Back at the bunker, all the cultists congregated in the main meeting hall, awaiting the sermon by their priest, Gates. There was more than a few murmurs of excitement. Word had spread that The White Rose was close to achieving their goal of a single race.

Gates made his way onto the stage, eliciting a cheer from the crowd. He silenced them with a gesture.

"I know it was top secret, but by now I'm sure you all know that Project Strychnine is well underway." He stated, causing another cheer. "The virus will soon be released, meaning anyone that does not have our pure blood will be exterminated like the rats they are!"

Again the cultists cheered and applauded. He silenced them with another gesture as his deacons handed out syringes.

"Now, all that remains is to immunise ourselves." He told them, holding up a syringe. "For our race!"

With that, all the cultists injected themselves. Gates meanwhile, did nothing. He just watched as they injected themselves. Shortly afterwards, one of the cultists fell to his knees and began coughing up blood. One by one, they all started falling and convulsing on the floor. Gates threw his syringe on the floor, shattering it.

"What did you do?" the deacon to his right asked him as he sank to his knees, feeling every inch of his insides burning.

"I wanted a strong race, but sadly you aren't part of it." He replied.

"But our White Brothers..."

"Are idiots!" Gates snapped. "Do you honestly think I give a crap about this white supremacy bull? I believe in the Symmetry effect."

As the deacon fell to the floor, Gates got into his face.

"Any species that evolves to the point its members are too genetically similar succumb to a single virus and become extinct." He told him. "I want a strong race, but you are all idiots. If you weren't, you would have seen this coming LONG ago."

He got back to his feet and looked down at his unfortunate victim as he thought about what he had done. He stomped down hard on the man's chin, snapping his neck.

"Your ignorance and intolerance made you easy to manipulate." He commented as he watched the others dying. "Idiots deserve to die."

Back at the Garage, Sam pulled the implant out of Tenaya's back, breathing a sigh of relief as the operation was over. Flynn held her closely.

"You did good lass." He said reassuringly. She put the implant into a kidney dish.

"I still need to close." She replied. "Tenaya, are you sure everything's alright?"

Flynn touched the sole of her foot, causing her to flex it by instinct.

"I felt that!" She screamed in her excitement, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I felt that!

"I told you everything would be fine." Ziggy told her from the floor. He was cold, and more than a little stiff as a result of lying on a concrete floor for almost two straight hours, but he didn't care. Seeing her smile was all he needed to let him know his ordeal was worth the effort.

"I've finished." Sam stated as she cut off the end of the suture. "Try not to overdo things for a few days. Flynn? I seriously need a drink."

"I think I can arrange that darlin'." He replied, leading her out the room. Ziggy helped Tenaya gingerly back into her chair.

"Shouldn't you be securing my restraints?" She asked him as he lowered her into the chair. "I doubt Dr. K would be impressed if she knew you..."

"Dr. K isn't here." He replied. Tenaya smiled.

"You trust me." She commented. "Why?"

"I guess it's just in my nature to give people a chance." He replied.

"You really think of me like that, don't you?" She asked him. "As a person I mean."

"Of course I do." He replied. "How else would I think of you?"

"I wouldn't like to say." She muttered, suddenly becoming a little self-conscious.

"What I said before still applies." Ziggy told her. "Nothing will happen to you while I'm around, I promise."

"But..."

"Nothing will happen." He reassured her as he began hooking up her life-support systems again. "Not while I'm here."

Tenaya reached up and grabbed the back of his head, pulling him down and kissing him deeply. Ziggy's eyes shot open in amazement. He was attracted to her, he couldn't deny that, but this was far more than he could ever have expected. As she released him, she looked into his eyes.

"You make me feel good." She told him, feeling a warmth in her chest she couldn't explain. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He finally managed to stammer out as he left the room. He knew a cold shower was in his immediate future. He was attracted to Tenaya that much he couldn't deny to anyone, least of all himself. She had only kissed him as some form of gratitude for releasing her from the imprisonment of her own body Venjix had created. He knew she couldn't return his feelings. How could she? She was a robot.

Meanwhile, Tenaya felt the aching loneliness as the door slid closed. She hated it when Ziggy left her. As much as she hated the way Venjix had treated her, hated her enslavement she liked her new life. She was still a prisoner, she was still a slave, but something about Ziggy was all that was needed to make it all seem worthwhile.

Back at the bunker, Gates walked into Dr. K's cell.

"It's done." She told him.

"I knew you'd see sense." He told her. "Project Strychnine is alive and well."

"This is a bad idea." She told him.

"It was just scrapped because of archaic moral codes that the useless old bastards in the ethics committee came up with." He replied. "You and I know there are no ethics in science."

"There should be." Dr. K replied. "They're ready."

"I guess it's my turn then." He replied, stepping onto a raised platform. "Remember the safety protocols I've programmed in. It's time for Project Strychnine to see the light of day."

Dr. K just hit the enter button and watched as the platform Gates was on raised into the ceiling. She didn't want to unleash this onto the world. Only Venjix eclipsed the evil of Project Strychnine. Of course, she knew she didn't have a choice. Gates had won.

"Help me Scott." She whimpered as she watched the download bar increasing, indicating the progress of the procedure. "Forgive me."


	27. The Attack

Following the procedure, Dr. K watched as the platform sank out of the ceiling, bringing Gates back into the lab. She hated to think what she had done, but by now it was too late.

His build was drastically improved by a variety of genetic enhancements, making him look like a statue of some fictional hero. What looked like a skin-tight black bodysuit covered every inch of him below his neck. It was the same fibre and alloy compound that comprised the Ranger series exoskeletons. There was one difference major though; this was now permanently bound into his physiology.

"It looks like I was right about Project Strychnine after all." Gates told her, inspecting the rig thoughtfully. "The power is incredible!"

"I've done as you ask." She replied.

"Don't think I'm not grateful." He stated, strapping on a shoulder-harness, containing a variety of compartments, housing all manner of covert weaponry. "Because of you, my plans will finally all come to fruition."

"You said you'd release me." Dr. K stated. "I guess you'll keep me until after Colonel Truman and Scott are killed at least."

"Well at least." He told her. "Why, are you really in that much of a hurry to get back to your life? I mean, you did shut yourself away in that lab all day anyway, what really is the difference between what you had then and what you have now?"

"The Rangers are good people." She told him. "The other rig operators are brainwashed automatons, and you are a psychopath."

"The funny thing is, you kill a few people and people think you're a psychopath." He told her. "Kill a few people for a cause and you're a terrorist, and yet you kill a few thousand people and lead a nation and you're a hero. Before long, I'll practically be a God here."

"You're insane!" She muttered. "If you think that the Rangers..."

"Oh don't worry about the Rangers; they'll be taken care of." He replied. "Why do you think I needed the Project Strychnine rigs?"

"You intend to fight them?" She asked him.

"I intend to replace them!" He announced. "I know as well as anyone that we need someone with the power of the Rangers at their disposal to protect the city. Of course the problem I have is..."

"They aren't psychotic." Dr. K interrupted him.

"I was going to say misguided." He answered. "They allow morality to hold them back. They would waste valuable time and resources battling to defy me. That is why I need to get rid of them. You know as well as I do the Project Strychnine rigs are more powerful than the Ranger rigs."

"You don't realise what you've done!" She shrieked. "Project Strychnine was scrapped because the bonding is permanent! The rigs can't be recalled like the Ranger rigs, that suit's bound to you for good!"

"Why would I want to take it off?" He asked her with a shrug. "The power is immense!"

"You really value power more than humanity?" She asked him.

"Why don't you ask The White Rose?" He asked her. "Of course you can't. They've already served their purpose."

Just then, two large, glass tubes lowered from the ceiling. One held a woman, just short of six feet tall, with flowing brown hair and the other, a man with short-cut blonde hair. They were both wearing suits identical to that worn by Gates. They jerked into consciousness with a start as the tubes opened, though they stared with a vacant, barely registering existence.

"You know people really should read the fine print when they sign up to the military." He commented. "Both of these people thought they were signing up for a Special Forces unit. I guess in some ways they got their wish."

He went over to the woman, waving a hand in front of her face. She never even flinched as he did so.

"You know, I always thought of people in the military as puppets, mindlessly following orders." He commented, moving around behind her. "I guess this is just taking the next logical step. Now all they know is their conditioned training, and a mindless obedience to my orders."

"You said you want to take care of the Rangers." She commented. "What do you have planned for them?"

"I'm glad you asked that." He replied, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You see, I need a little more information on your Rangers before I can formulate the best strategy for destroying them. I know exactly what their suits can do, but your operators? Sadly I had left the soup before you chose them."

"I'm telling you nothing." She told him flatly, crossing her arms in front of herself defiantly. "You have your Project Strychnine biotech rigs."

"Well I require just a little more from you." He told her. "You already know what I'll do if you don't obey me."

Dr. K just sighed and looked at the computer screen blankly for inspiration. She had no ideas for how to escape this situation. She had nothing she could use as an effective weapon. Certainly nothing that would help her escape.

"Now, why don't we start with your most mysterious Ranger?" He asked her. "What can you tell me about Series Black? He seems to be the one I know least about."

Meanwhile, Chas was lounging around in his swimming pool, enjoying a relaxing swim when Brie walked into the room.

"I see you're feeling a lot better." She commented. Ever since the party, he had largely kept to the mansion while the mark on his cheek left by the fencing "accident" healed. As much as he knew the injury wasn't serious, and he could easily have gone about his business, he loved milking the sympathy for everything he could get. Almost a week later, the stitches had dissolved, and the cut was beginning to fade, but his physician was paid enough to write him sick lines for him, excusing him from returning to the base. It also helped his public image, as the papers were quick to elaborate the stories of how badly he had really been hurt by Dillon. "Do you think we could go out tonight?"

"I'm not really feeling like it." He told her.

"We haven't gone out all week!" She whined, lying on a lounger next to the pool. "I'm getting bored sitting around."

"Brie, you know I'm just resting up for the ceremony." He reminded her. "Look how much better my face looks already. By the time the ceremony comes around, a little make-up and I should look fine for the pictures."

"It's just so boring around here." She complained. "You know I love spending time here, but can we please do something different tonight?"

"Look, I'm expecting a call from Gates tonight." He reminded her. "He said I shouldn't go out until he called me."

"I don't know why you hang around with him." She muttered, snapping her fingers to attract the butler's attention. The look on his face demonstrated his loathing at being summoned like a dog with such a disrespectful gesture, but he came over to her anyway. "Would you get me some lemonade? Not too bitter."

"Very good miss." He said in a little drawl before heading off to fetch her drink.

"You know what this is about." He reminded her. "He's handling my public image. You know it isn't long until the Mayor's term is up and there's an election. He said that a little sympathy, followed by a heroic return to the public eye at the ceremony would work wonders for my campaign."

"He's just so creepy." She replied, shuddering just at the thought of him. "He makes my skin crawl, and I know what we did to Summer was a little mean, but what he pulled with that story on Marcus Truman was a whole different league."

This caused him to pause for a second as he got out of the pool and started drying himself. He knew that Gates hated the Trumans, and that he had blamed them for holding him back in his career. He knew he was responsible for the attack on Scott, and also for the stories circulating in the newspapers about Marcus, casting doubts as to his actions during the Battle of Corinth. He had to admit that when he said he was going to discredit Scott, he had no idea it would be anything that serious. He had set him up to look like he was involved in a drug deal. So far no charges had been filed against him, but the damage had been done, and the newspapers had already suggested that the Military had done a white-wash on the case to make it go away. There were still whispers that the Colonel had used his political power to quash the case. What he had done to Marcus though just seemed unnecessary, and more than a little sick. He really didn't like what he had done with Marcus, besmirching the name of the Hero of Corinth

"I know, I didn't like the article about Marcus either," he conceded, making his way over to her side, "look, I don't pretend to understand what he does, but he's done everything he said he would. Look at the papers, my public image has never been better! When I throw my hat into the ring for the Mayoral elections next year..."

"Chas, the people love you anyway." Brie told him. "I love you, but you know what he did to Marcus was wrong."

He sat down next to his fiancée and held her hand.

"I know it was Brie." He replied. "It's too late now; I can't do anything about that."

She hated to admit it, but in a lot of ways, Chas was right. There was no way to prove what Marcus did on that day. Not without his flight recording, or the wreckage of the plane.

"I promise this won't go on much longer." He told her. "After the ceremony, we can start preparing for the wedding."

"Really?" She asked him. Chas smiled and nodded.

"We'll have the greatest wedding ever." He replied.

He stroked her hair out of her face and kissed her cheek again.

"Why don't you go out shopping?" He asked her. "Call some of your friends, you can get lunch, make a real day of it."

"I'd prefer it if you were there." She said with a little pout, before kissing him. "I love you."

"You know I do too." He said with a little smirk as she left. His maid came into the room and he got a little smirk to himself.

"I'm going for a sauna." He told her. "I'll be ready for a massage in about 10 minutes."

Benny made his way through the streets to the construction site of a new apartment building. The men that had been hired to attack Scott had given a name under questioning, but it hadn't checked out. He knew that no one dared to lie to Mr Smith. Everyone told the truth eventually under his treatment. The only possible explanation was that whoever had hired them had lied about his name.

The only thing they had told them was that he had arranged to meet them here. He figured that this was about as good a place to begin looking for answers as any. He had told Fresno Bob he was going to check it out, but in truth he had already called Ziggy and arranged to meet him there. He made his way awkwardly over the chain-link fence, before checking his suit for tears. He then made his way inside.

"Ziggy?" He asked, looking around for his friend. "Are you here little guy?"

"I'm here Benny." He replied in an uncharacteristically quiet voice.

"What's wrong?" Benny asked him.

"Look at this." Ziggy stated, waving him over. In the low light of the building, he could barely see, but when he came over, he saw that next to where Ziggy was kneeling was a dead body. The massive gangster almost threw up as he saw the lifeless, glassy eyes and the pained expression on his face. He seemed to be wearing some kind of robe.

"He's been dead for a while." Ziggy told him. "There's another one over there."

"Here, I think I saw a light switch." Benny told him. He made his way back towards the door, finding a petrol-driven generator. Firing it up, the lights came on, causing them to see the full horror of the scene.

The floor had not been completed, leaving what appeared to be almost a stage where they were standing with the body of the man they had found. They could now see that he was wearing deep red robes. In the pit below, in the very foundations of the building, were more corpses. They looked to have died the same horrible death. By now Benny was completely overcome and lost his lunch.

"What the hell happened here?" He asked Ziggy.

"I need to call Sam; she'll be able to tell more from this than I will." He stated, his eyes wide in amazement. "Go back to Fresno Bob, tell him we got to the scene first and you couldn't risk coming in here. He'll hear about this soon enough."

Ziggy pulled out his morpher and activated it, calling Flynn.

"Flynn, is Sam with you?" He asked.

"I'm here Ziggy." She responded over Flynn's morpher. "What is it?"

"I think I found a lead." He told her. "I'm pretty sure I've found The White Rose."

Back at Gate's lab, Dr. K was being relentlessly questioned by Gates. When she refused to talk at first, he had injected her with a serum. It dulled her senses and made her zone out a little. Her head was spinning, and she felt incredibly tired. She knew that in this state, her body was in no condition to resist. No matter how hard she tried to resist, she just didn't have enough focus to think about what she was saying. The truth just came out. He slapped her gently to make sure she still hadn't passed out.

"You've been most helpful Dr. K." He taunted her, pacing the room.

"Please, you can't do this." She muttered.

"I would have thought by now you'd know me better than that." He replied, picking her up from the chair and carrying her across to the bed in the corner. As she lay on the bed, barely conscious, he made his way over to the female operative.

"Nightshade, the good doctor has been kind enough to tell us that Ranger Yellow is due for another therapy session today." He instructed her, handing her a package. "She and Ranger Black will be there together. Disguise yourself, and when the time is right, attack them. You know what to do."

He noticed Dr. K was watching, though he knew it wouldn't be long before she lost consciousness. He smiled at her.

"I have people to see." He told her. "Don't worry though, I'll be back soon enough."

In Dr. Young's office, Summer came to after he brought her out of her trance. He handed her a cup of water from the water cooler.

"I think we're starting to make some real progress." He told her. "I'm really sorry your first few nights without the meds were rough, but that's to be expected. Your dreams are where your subconscious normally deals with your conflicts."

"What conflicts?" She asked him. "I've talked to mom and dad, they've explained everything..."

"You can't expect these things to be fixed overnight." He reminded her gently. "You still have to resolve how you see your life."

He came over to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.

"Your mother and father have learned to love each other." He continued. "Dillon clearly loves you; I could see that in the time he sat in on our session."

"So what's the problem?" Summer asked him. "Why am I still like this?"

"You've lived for a long time with a very confused idea about relationships." He told her. "You were expected to spend the rest of your life with a man you didn't love, an expectation you eventually convinced yourself to share, and the very people most of us look to for our model of a relationship, your parents, only learned to love each other recently."

"So what are you saying?" She asked him.

"The first step in learning to love is learning to believe you deserve to be loved." He told her. "I'll see you next time."

With that, she made her way into the waiting room, where Maxie was talking to Dillon to pass the time. More accurately, she was talking. As usual, Dillon was saying very little in response. His face lit up as he saw Summer.

"How was it?" He asked her, giving Summer her jacket. She pulled it on as Maxie looked out the appointment book.

"I really wish I could have made more progress." She muttered. "My dreams are still not making a lot of sense, I'm really having trouble sleeping, my brain's totally fried."

"I'm sure Dr. Young knows what he's doing." Maxie chipped in, handing Summer the book, allowing her to fill in her name in the next vacant appointment slot. "He wouldn't have taken you off the meds if he didn't think the time was right."

"I guess so." Summer replied, taking her jacket and putting it on. "Come on Dillon, it's time to go."

He put an arm around her shoulders and led her out of the office, into the street. Dillon groaned as he saw a cable repair van blocking them in.

"Hey, would you mind letting us out?" He asked the repair woman as she worked on a box nearby. "Hey, you've blocked us in, can you move the van?"

Before he knew what was happening, the repair woman grabbed his wrist, twisting it sharply and rammed a needle-like weapon into his chest.

"Damn it!" He screamed as she kicked him away. Summer rushed forward, but was caught off guard, being thrown to the ground. She looked on in amazement as the repair woman leapt an impossible height, disappearing into the rooftops and left at incredible speed. She made her way to Dillon's side, checking on him.

"Dillon, are you alright?" She asked him, checking his wound. "Dillon, talk to me."

"She's strong; I think she managed to damage my implants." He informed her.

"I'm getting you out of here." She told him, looking around to make sure their attacker wasn't coming back. She knew it had to be serious if the wound was deep enough to hit his implants. "Sam can have a look at you when we get back to the lab."

With that, she carefully helped him into the passenger seat of his car, before getting into the driver seat and starting it up. Mounting the pavement to steer past the van that had blocked them in, she raced into the street towards the Garage. She had no idea who had attacked them or why, but she couldn't worry about that right now. Dillon's car was a lot more powerful than she realised, and it was only now she was regretting the fact she was more used to two wheels than four.


	28. A Ranger Down

Colonel Truman arrived at the apartment block with a guard detail, quickly sweeping the building. Corporal Hicks and his unit quickly checked to ensure the building was clear of threats before Sam came in. Ziggy was still there, waiting for them.

"What the hell happened in here?" Colonel Truman asked. His mouth hung open in amazement as he looked at the scene of devastation. Ziggy came over to greet them with a wordless gesture. He looked incredibly pale, though given the fact he had just found dozens of corpses, they weren't that surprised.

"I left the scene how I found it." He informed them. "The only difference is that over by the generator there, and down here by this corpse you'll find patches of vomit. The one by the body is mine, the one by the generator is...someone else's...but he didn't have anything to do with this, we found them all like this."

They understood what Ziggy meant by this. They knew he was getting information from Benny. Ziggy knew enough about forensic procedure to know that they would need to know about anything he had done to the scene.

"It looks like Ziggy's right about one thing." Corporal Hicks stated, inspecting one of the robed corpses. "It looks like they were members of The White Rose."

"How long do you think it'll take to get an idea what happened here?" Colonel Truman asked the forensics expert. Sam just shook her head.

"I'll need a full team down here." She told him. "It'll be hours before I can even get all these bodies ready for autopsy."

"Have any of them been identified?" He asked.

"That'll take time." Sam replied.

"You'll have all the resources you need within the hour." Colonel Truman assured her. He gestured to half a dozen of his troops. "You men stand guard over the scene. Ensure that Sam and her team are the only people who get in, do you understand?"

"Yes sir!" One of the guards shouted as they set up a perimeter.

"I'll stay with them." Corporal Hicks stated, pulling out his weapon and leaving to oversee the guard. Colonel Truman was glad he didn't need to ask this of him. Given the insidious nature of the cult, he had very little idea who he could trust completely.

"We need to get back to The Garage." Colonel Truman told her. "If there's anything else you need, let us know."

"I will." She assured him, beginning to take a few pictures of the crime scene. "I'll let you know what I find soon as I can."

Meanwhile, back at The Garage, Dillon's car roared into the main garage, almost slamming into the other vehicles as Summer brought it to a halt. Flynn came into the room to see what the disturbance was, and immediately knew that something was wrong when he saw Summer getting out of the driver's seat. Summer never drove Dillon's car.

"Flynn, someone attacked me and Dillon!" She yelled as she helped Dillon out of the car. "He's hurt!"

"It looks deep." He agreed, sliding himself under Dillon's arm and taking his weight. "Help me get him to the lab."

They dragged him inside, before helping him up onto a table. Dillon lay there as Summer inspected the wound.

"It didn't hit anything vital." She told them as Dillon winced in discomfort from the necessary probing of his wound. "Dillon, it looks like you were right, the needle went into your implants."

"You said it was a woman." Flynn said, looking a little confused. "She stabbed him hard enough to hit his implants?"

"She threw me without even trying." Summer told him. "Then she jumped straight onto a roof about 30-40 feet away and ran off at an incredible clip. She definitely wasn't human."

"You think this is a Venjix thing?" Flynn asked her, grabbing one of Dr. K's scanners.

"This one seemed different." She told him. "It looked human, but it didn't say anything."

"Well whatever it is, it caused minor damage to his implants." Flynn told them. "It'll be taken care of by his self-repair system in..."

As he was about to finish, a warning alarm went off, alerting them to an archive file.

"Bollocks." He muttered as he checked the file that had opened in the computer.

"What is it Flynn?" Dillon asked him, looking a little concerned.

"Flynn, please what's wrong?" Summer asked him. Flynn looked at them both regretfully.

"The archive file relates to the virus the acceleration code the lightning bot entered into him." He told them regretfully. "A similar program was uploaded into his systems by whatever attacked him."

"Similar?" Dillon asked him. "How similar is it?"

"From the readouts here, it's considerably more aggressive." Flynn told him. "The virus is now spreading at a rate two hundred times faster than before."

"Well let's get the code uploaded and stop it!" Summer screeched, beginning to panic over her boyfriend's wellbeing.

"It's not that simple." Flynn replied. "The virus is similar, but the base code is significantly different. We'd need the motherboard from the weapon his attacker used."

"No such luck I'm afraid." Dillon told him. "She took it with her. What's the prognosis?"

"If the last time is anything to go by, it's not good I'm afraid." Flynn responded. "The virus will have taken over by the end of the day."

Meanwhile, at Chas' mansion, he was in the billiards room, practicing some shots when the butler showed Gates in. By now he was wearing his uniform once more, hiding the biotech rig beneath it. Chas gestured the butler to leave them, before closing the door after him.

"I saw the newspaper this morning." Gates said with a smirk. "It seems you're the toast of the town right now. Word's already spread about how you're going to bravely attend the ceremony in two days despite your injuries."

"Yes, I saw that earlier." He replied, throwing the paper in the trash.

"Chas, you know this is all about getting you into office." Gates replied.

"I know you really know what you're doing." Chas stated, lining up another shot, trying to articulate his thoughts. "The thing is, I'm really not comfortable about what you're doing to Marcus."

"You said you'd leave the Trumans to me." Gates reminded him. "I deal with your public image and your political agenda, and you let me get a little payback on the Trumans."

"Look, I'm not a huge fan of the Truman family either." Chas conceded. "Marcus and I butted heads at the academy, but these allegations of cowardice aren't right. I know he was a lot of thing. Arrogant, dismissive, crude, but the one thing I know he wasn't is a coward."

"He doesn't need to be." Gates told him, picking up a cue and lining up a shot. He sank the ball he was aiming for with ease. "It's all part of the plan."

"I'm not really comfortable with this." Chas replied. "I mean, I admit that what I did to Summer was kind of low, but..."

"Look, this is all about the political agenda." Gates replied. "Look, you know that I'm planning something for the ceremony that'll weaken the Mayor's image..."

"You mentioned the rent-a-mob you hired to picket the event." Chas interrupted him as Gates sank another ball. "You said that if the ceremony is ruined on his watch, then the public will lose confidence in him, but..."

"Who do you think the public will turn to when they don't have faith in the Mayor?" Gates asked him. "They'll be looking for someone they can rely on, that they can put on a pedestal. A hero if you will."

"You've told me this..."

"Colonel Truman is effectively the next best candidate, but there're already doubts about his judgement." He continued. "He has already shown great favouritism towards his own family..."

"But..."

"Now Scott is rumoured to be a drug user." Gates interrupted him, ignoring Chas' protests.

"Marcus is DEAD!" Chas yelled, finally losing patience with the corrupt officer talking to him like a child. "He isn't competition for us! There's no need to torch his memory for our own ends!"

Gates' expression slipped and he racked his cue away, coming to Chas' side, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You should trust my judgement." Gates told him, his grip tightening. Chas winced in pain as he felt his crushing grip. "If it wasn't for me, you'd still be wallowing in page four obscurity instead of front page fame."

He forced Chas down to his knees with his grip.

"You would never even make it out of admin, never mind the Mayor's office if it wasn't for me." He hissed aggressively, before releasing him. Chas got to his feet, staring at Gates in amazement. "I've gotten us this far haven't I?"

Chas held his shoulder, stroking it and nodding nervously.

"Trust me." Gates said with a little smirk. "By the time the ceremony's over, there'll only be one man everyone in Corinth is talking about. You just worry about getting ready for that wedding of yours."

As he left, Chas just rubbed his shoulder thoughtfully. This was the first time Gates had been aggressive with him. From his actions, he knew Gates had a nasty streak, but this was the first time he'd found it directed at him. He was sure Gates' wanted him in the Mayoral office because of his families' name and prestige, but now he wasn't sure. He had an indication that there may be more to Gates than he gave him credit for.

He was nervous, most of all, because of something his father had always told him, something that occurred to him as Gates spoke to him. "Never trust a man who has to tell you he can be trusted."

Colonel Truman, and Ziggy arrived back at the Garage, finding Flynn working feverishly on the computers as Summer stood over the man she loved.

"What's happening?" Ziggy asked them, noticing that Dillon and Summer seemed to be comforting each other.

"Dillon was attacked." Flynn told him. "He's been injected with another acceleration code."

"Is there anything you can do for him?" Ziggy asked in response.

"I'm working on something Dr. K and I were collaborating on." Flynn replied, continuing to work away on the computer. "It's taking a while for me to break into her files, but I'll keep working."

"I'll help." Ziggy chipped in, making his way to another console. "I'll try to bypass her fire-walls."

Colonel Truman wanted to do something to help, but at that moment, his cell phone rang. He flipped it open, answering it.

"What can you tell me Hicks?" He asked.

"Sam's still working on the scene, but the first few bodies have been identified and moved to the morgue." Hicks told him, being careful to keep an eye on Sam. "She said they've all been injected by a powerful toxin. According to her, it pretty much liquefied their insides and..."

"It wasn't a pleasant death." Colonel Truman summarised.

"That's to say the least." Hicks agreed. "She said they'd have died in agony, but the thing is they seemed to have injected themselves."

"It was suicide?" Colonel Truman asked incredulously.

"Is that Colonel Truman on the line?" Sam asked Hicks. He nodded and handed her the phone as she gestured for it.

"Sir, this scene doesn't make sense." She told him. "All of these people injected themselves with the poison. No one would knowingly do that unless they wanted to die. Also, the way they were arranged, all looking up to this one man on the stage, it looks like they were involved in some kind of ceremony."

"The White Rose was a cult." He reminded her. "Perhaps it was some kind of ritual mass-suicide."

"Sir, all the pieces don't fit." She told him. "In my experience most suicides tend to try and limit suffering in the end. People take overdoses of sleeping pills, numb limbs before cutting them, use hollow point bullets...hell, even jumpers tend to remove their glasses and open the window first!"

"What are you saying?" He asked her.

"Their choice of poison is all wrong." She told him. "They would have died in agony! There are much better ways they could have ended their lives from a local pharmacy. Also, there were far more syringes here than there were cultists. It looks like they were going to take other doses out of here."

"So why would they take their own doses first?" Colonel Truman asked her.

"They wouldn't." She told him. "Also, among those already identified were three military officers, a lawyer and a journalist. They worked their way into some pretty influential positions, they don't seem like the kind of people to give up. Especially not when they're so close to achieving what they wanted."

"What are you getting at?" Colonel Truman asked her.

"It's a thought I had when I saw this." She told him. "You, Marcus and Scott have been attacked in the press. Your reputations are in doubt right before the ceremony. If they wanted to affirm their beliefs..."

"They had almost a perfect opportunity at the ceremony." Colonel Truman agreed. "It would be the perfect opportunity to humiliate us in public and turn the public against us."

"Sir, I can't possibly tell you what the real agenda is here, but this is no suicide." She said with certainty. "If I was to hazard a guess, I'd say they were set up."

"Which means someone else is behind all of this." He replied. "Let me know when you've found anything else."

With that, he hung up and made his way back into the lab, where the Rangers continued to work on breaking into Dr. K's system.

"I've got it!" Ziggy yelled excitedly as the files opened. "Who'd have known her password was..."

"Ziggy, we're on a short time-frame here." Flynn reminded him as he accessed the final programmes he needed. He hit a command, at which a door opened in one of the walls. He led the others through into a hidden chamber. There was a capsule, large enough for a man to lie down in. Seeing the leather, padded interior, it seemed that this was the intention. There was only a small glass window in the hatch. As Flynn approached the capsule, he hit a switch on the control panel, causing it to open.

"What is this Flynn?" Summer asked him. "Will this cure Dillon?"

Flynn wanted to tell her something different, but the look in his eyes betrayed him. He knew he couldn't lie to her. He took a deep breath and shook his head.

"Dr. K and I still haven't found a permanent solution to the growth of your implants." He told Dillon honestly. "Also, without the motherboard from the weapon that uploaded the acceleration code, there's no way I can slow it back to its original rate. This is something that Dr. K and I were working on as a temporary solution, in case your implants progressed too far and we still hadn't found a solution."

"What is it?" Dillon asked him. "If you want me to get in there..."

"It's a stasis pod." Flynn explained. "Dr. K and I figured that by using a process similar to my suit's time manipulation burst, we could create a field which will freeze everything inside it, however we found a way to cause it to form into a perpetual loop instead of existing in a short burst."

"You mean..."

"That's right Dillon, when you go into the pod and activate the field, you'll be held in place in time." Flynn told him. "You're implants won't grow any further."

"So that's your brilliant plan?" Summer shrieked, getting into his face. "You're going to stick him in the freezer until you figure out what to do?"

"Not exactly, but that is essentially the idea." He told her regretfully, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Summer, I'm sorry but we don't have any other choice!"

"You can't do this!" She screamed, swiping his hand away angrily. "We have to help Dillon, we have to stop this from happening. We need him!"

"Summer, I don't want to do this either, but Flynn's right." Dillon conceded, turning her to face him. "If I don't go in there, by the end of the day Venjix will have taken over completely."

"So you're just giving up?" Summer asked him, her lip quivering as she tried hard to keep control of her anguish. "I can't let you give up!"

"Summer, I'm not giving up, but you know we have to do this." He told her, holding her closely. He gently caressed her cheek as he looked into her eyes regretfully. "If Venjix takes over, then I won't be able to stop myself. I couldn't bear it if I did anything to hurt you."

He kissed her gently, before making his way over to the pod, climbing inside. Summer began crying as she watched him resign himself to the stasis pod.

"Dillon!" She shrieked, rushing to the side of the pod and reaching in before they closed it. "I can't lose you!"

"You'll never lose me." He told her with a smile. "You'll het Dr. K back, and she'll figure out something. Until then, I'll just be in here, waiting."

"I love you." She whispered, leaning in, seizing him by the head and kissing him deeply. Dillon returned the gesture, and smiled as they parted.

"I love you too." He replied. With that, she stepped back slowly from the pod. Ziggy put an arm around her, holding her as Flynn activated the control panel. She watched, feeling her heart breaking as the pod sealed, and the stasis field powered up, sealing the man she loved in time, preserving him in his current state indefinitely. She turned into Ziggy and held him tightly, sobbing into his chest. Ziggy comforted her as best as he could, but he knew this had to be the worst blow yet. They had now lost a Ranger.


	29. Setting the Trap

A/N: As some of you may have noticed, I mentioned Dillon being infected with the Lightning Bot's activation code, despite saying that the Rangers don't know Dr. K created Venjix. I know she revealed that fact to them in that ep. but for the purposes of THIS story, she didn't. Her cover story and my version of what happened are explained in this chap. Needless to say my storylines occasionally, like now, go a little AU.

The cable repair woman came into the lab, causing Dr. K and Gates to look around at her. As she walked towards her master, she began to shimmer and alter form, her clothing once again taking on her original form. Gates smiled as he saw her.

"Is it done?" He asked her as she stood, staring vacantly at him. Wordlessly, she handed him the blood-stained weapon. Gates looked at it and let out a dismissive snort. "I guess I don't need to worry about the Black Ranger then. You may go."

Nightshade stepped onto her platform, and the glass tube came down, before lifting her once again into the ceiling. Gates threw the needle down onto the bench in front of Dr. K. She looked at it and felt the guilt creeping in as she remembered that she had told Gates about the virus in Dillon's implants, and the acceleration code the Lightning Bot had implanted him with. Although she had only told him under the effects of the truth serum, it didn't stop her feeling guilty about the fact Dillon was in danger.

"You know you; I think Ranger Black might just be the one person whose life you've screwed up more than anyone else's." Gates stated, pulling over a chair and sitting next to her. "I mean, he has no memories of his real life and most of his body now looks like it comes from Radio Shack because of what you created."

He placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling as he saw the pained expression on her face. She couldn't take her eyes off the needle, still overcome with remorse.

"Now because you told me about the acceleration code, he's looking forward to losing everything that makes him human within a matter of hours." He continued. "He's lost literally everything because of you."

"It was all a mistake." She murmured, staring at the needle, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I was held prisoner for all those years. All I ever wanted was to go outside."

"Well you did get to go outside." Gates reminded her. "Of course everyone else paid the price."

"If I'd been able to upload that fire-wall..."

"Oh now don't go crying about the fact you tried to stop the virus." He interrupted her, ruffling her hair playfully. "I mean sure, you did try to stop it, but only because you created it in the first place. If you hadn't been so selfish, all those people would still be alive."

Dr. K grabbed the needle and threw it across the room, before burying her face in her hands, sobbing. He just sniggered at the unusually emotional display from the young woman.

"Now, the thing I don't get is that even with the motherboard, the only way you could have halted the acceleration code the last time was if you uploaded the base code from the Venjix virus." He stated with a curious expression on his face. "How did you explain knowing the code to the Rangers?"

"I didn't tell them I knew the code." She explained. "I told them I had it on an archive file because I'm trying to create an anti-virus that we can upload if we ever penetrate its defences."

She knew it was necessary to keep her Rangers in the dark about the truth of her knowledge of the Venjix virus. She knew that they would never be able to trust her if they knew that everything that had happened to them, to the world, had been her fault. Although it was true that she was constantly looking for a possible anti-virus, she didn't need an archive file to know the base code for the Venjix virus. It had been the daemon that had haunted her ever since. While many saw Freddy Cruger or the Bogeyman in their nightmares, Dr. K saw lines of code. The code she had written, and all because she wanted to go outside.

"Well I guess I should commend you." He said with a laugh. "That little lie is so plausible even I might have believed it. I suppose it says a lot about how much faith your Rangers have in you that they believed it without questioning you any further."

He got up and started to leave the room, though stopped at the door.

"I wonder how they'd ever feel if they knew how misplaced that trust was?" He asked as the left, locking the door behind him.

Dr. K watched him go, feeling dejected. Her situation still felt hopeless, she was no closer to escaping. She looked around and saw the weapon in the corner of the room, and made her way towards it. It looked as though he was so busy tormenting her, he had forgotten about it.

She had almost reached it when the shackle around her ankle snapped painfully, holding her fast. She lay down on her stomach, reaching out into the corner, her fingertips only just managing to reach it, and eventually she managed to grab it. It was not going to be any use in releasing her from her cell, and it certainly wouldn't make her a match for the Project Strychnine rigs even if she did release herself. However, she knew there was one use for it. Carrying it back to her workbench, she grabbed some tools and got to work. If there was going to be any hope of saving Dillon, she knew they would need the motherboard from the weapon. She could worry about how they would get it to him once she escaped.

Brie came back to the mansion after a long day of shopping, dropping her purchases at the door for the butler to collect and take to the guest room where she was staying.

"I'm home sweetie!" She yelled excitedly, completely recharged after a long day of excessive spending and gossiping with her vacuous friends. "You will NEVER guess who's having a baby!"

When she didn't get an answer, she started to look around the mansion. "Chas?"

She eventually came into Chas' study to find him sitting, drinking brandy. He looked a little pale, and his gaze was distant.

"Chas?" She asked him, a little concerned. His head jerked up to look at his fiancée, seeing her standing in the room. Although she was right in front of him, he hadn't seen her. He seemed to be in another world.

"Chas?" She asked him again, making her way to his desk. While Chas enjoyed a few drinks, he usually reserved the brandy for special occasions or when something was weighing on his mind. He didn't drink anything cheap, and the brandy he was drinking was almost a thousand dollars a bottle. He didn't open it for nothing. "Are you alright?"

"I just had a visit from Gates." He told her in a voice so quiet it barely reached her. Her eyes rolled as he said this.

"I keep telling you he's bad news." She told him. "What's he done now? Did you talk to him about the Marcus thing?"

"I did." Chas told her. "He got really intense. It was like nothing I've ever seen, he really scared me."

"What happened?" Brie asked him, putting an arm around him. She could feel him still shaking from the encounter. While Gates hadn't made any real threats, his manner unsettled Chas greatly.

"He didn't really say anything; it's more the way he acted." Chas explained. "He was here to make sure I was ready for the ceremony, but when I questioned him about Marcus, he just got this really...it's like he's obsessed with destroying the Trumans. I know he blames them for holding him back. I can understand him wanting to hurt Scott and the Colonel, but Marcus is dead. He seems fixated on him though."

"Chas, I've told you before that he's creepy." She told him sympathetically. "I've never been comfortable with him. I've always thought he was kind of crazy."

"I'm starting to think you might be right." Chas replied, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling down the shoulder, showing her bruising where Gates had grabbed him earlier.

"He did that to you?" She gasped. Chas nodded.

"It's like I said, he was kind of intense." Chas replied. "He's gotten us this far, it'll only be a couple of days now..."

"Chas, maybe this has gone too far already." She suggested. "I know you want to be mayor, but is it really worth all of this?"

"I really hope so." He sighed, taking her hand. "I really hope so."

The following day, Flynn and Ziggy were quietly eating breakfast when Scott came into the room. He had arrived back late the night before. They had explained what had happened to Dillon. The mood was more than a little subdued as Scott poured himself some cereal.

"Where's Summer?" He asked them. Flynn gestured to the door to the room Dillon's stasis pod was in.

"Where do you think?" He asked him. "The poor lass is heartbroken. She refused to leave the room all night. Eventually I took one of the easy chairs in there for her to get some rest."

"I still can't believe they got Dillon." Ziggy commented. "I can't imagine what Summer's going through."

"I'm really worried about her, this can't be healthy." Flynn told them. "I called Dr. Young and explained what happened."

"What did he say?" Scott asked him.

"He just said to keep an eye on her in case she gets any worse." Flynn told him, shaking his head. "She still has some of her leftover meds; he said she should take some if she's having problems. This couldn't have come at a worse time for her."

"I doubt there was really a good time for this to happen." Scott replied sadly. Flynn finished his cereal and dumped the bowl in the dishwasher.

"I'll just go and check on her." He told them, heading through to the room holding Dillon's stasis pod. He looked into the easy chair he had taken in there the night before, finding Summer curled up on the cushions. He had tried to get her to go to bed to get some rest, but she had outright refused to leave Dillon's side. He had tried in vain to tell her that he was fine, and it didn't matter if she was there or not, but she still wouldn't leave. Nothing he could say could convince her to leave him, and so in the end, he had brought her an easy-chair so that she could at least get some kind of rest.

He could see the bottles of tablets on the nearby table, along with a glass of water, and knew that she had taken some of the meds to help her get through the night. She was still having problems with her nightmares and sleeping at the best of times, but after this, it was understandable that she wouldn't be able to sleep unaided.

She looked quite pale, and more than a little dishevelled as she lay on the chair, quietly sleeping. The runs in her eye makeup betrayed her tearful vigil at the side of the man she loved, who just hours before, had been frozen in time to prevent him becoming a threat to everyone close to him. All things considered, she had the right to her tears. She had taken off her jacket and rolled it up, forming it into a kind of pillow, while she used Dillon's jacket as a blanket. He was so much larger than her that it served the purpose well. Dillon went over to her, taking a quick look before deciding that if she was resting, it was probably best to leave her. He made his way back into the main room, finding Ziggy pulling on his jacket, as Scott started buttering some toast.

"She's sleeping for now." Flynn told them. "I guess that's for the best."

"Well I need to go and see dad." He told them. "He's still insisting on going ahead with this ceremony tomorrow, so he's going over the security details."

"I promised that I'd go and see the kids today." Ziggy told them. "I figured it'd be good to let Tenaya get used to being around people before the ceremony and..."

"Its fine Ziggy, Dr. K's not here." Scott reminded him. "We know she'll come back, you don't need to convince us."

Ziggy just smiled and rushed to the secure lab to fetch their "prisoner". He had promised her walk, and the incision on her back was beginning to heal, Ziggy figured that today was as good a day as any to make good on that promise.

"He loves that orphanage." Flynn commented with a little laugh. "I know I like kids, but he seems to really put himself out for them. I never thought of him as the kind of guy to love kids."

"Well maybe he identifies with them." Scott suggested with a shrug. "I mean, he is a big kid himself."

"Aye, that's true I guess." Flynn replied. Neither of them knew much about Ziggy before the Ranger days, only that he had stolen medical supplies from the cartels to help out the orphanage when the kids all had gamma sickness. He hadn't gotten close enough to them to explain that at one time he had been raised in an orphanage. He wasn't in a hurry to let people know that even his own parents hadn't wanted him. So far, only Summer knew, and that was because she had gone with him to the orphanage after Tenaya's first attack. "Still, I guess we can't deny him cheering himself up. Goodness knows we all need something to be cheerful about right now."

"Are you off to see Sam?" Scott asked him. Flynn held up a large sandwich bag.

"Poor lass has been at the lab all night going through evidence of that crime scene." Flynn told him. "I figured she'd appreciate some food and some caffeine."

"I just hope it finds Dr. K." Scott responded, gathering his jacket. "I can't believe she was grabbed while she was delivering that recording. If only I'd handed it to dad myself, this would never have happened."

"The recording?" Flynn asked him, with a curious expression on his face. He reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a disk. "You mean this? How did you get a copy?"

"Dr. K found it and made a copy on her computer." He explained. "You still have it?"

"I didn't want to destroy it in case you changed your mind." Flynn told him. "I just kept it from you like you asked."

Scott ran over to the computer, pulling up the communications link to his father's office.

"Scott, what is it?" Colonel Truman asked him. "What's so important it couldn't wait until we met?"

"When Dr. K was coming over, did she tell you what it was about?" Scott asked him. Colonel Truman furrowed his brows.

"She said she thought she had found something about Marcus' crash that would clear him in the press." Colonel Truman told him. "She said she wanted to check something in the wastes to verify her findings, but she was sure she had found something suspicious."

"Why would she go into the wastes because of this?" Flynn asked, holding up the disk.

"She was going to check the plane." Scott stated. He snatched the disk from Flynn and ran towards his car. "Dad, I'm coming over, I think you'll want to hear this!"

With the, he gunned the engine and raced out of the Garage leaving a mixture of exhaust fumes and ozone from burned tyres in his wake. Flynn waved his hand in front of his face to clear some breathing space as Ziggy and Tenaya came into the room. Tenaya was wearing a t-shirt and a pair of denims that Ziggy had borrowed from Summer. They both watched curiously as the Red Ranger left.

"Where'd he go to in such a hurry?" Ziggy asked.

"He just went to see his dad." Flynn answered. "Come on you two, the orphanage is on the way. I'll give you a lift."

Meanwhile, in a candy shop on the south side of the dome, Gates made his way up to the counter, eyeing up the selection of treats there.

"What can I do for you?" The assistant asked him.

"Tell your boss that Mr. Kirkdale is here." He replied. The assistant headed into the back as Gates started pacing the room. He looked judgementally around all the various sugary snacks and chocolates on display, giving a little laugh as he saw something that caught his attention. It was a 15 inch tall, scale chocolate Power Ranger. Their merchandise, it seemed, was so profitable a business, it was even being sold by gangs.

"Mr. Kirkdale I presume." The boss stated as he came into the room. He was wearing a cheap, light brown suit, with a gaudy, brightly coloured shirt underneath. Though, most notably, he was carrying a huge brown paper bag full of snack treats. "I got your generous gift. Now tell me, why anyone would give so much money to the Southtown Sweet Tooths before even asking for anything?"

"Call it a gift for the honour of meeting you Mr. Newmark." He replied. "Now, I have business to discuss."

"I understand you wanted to give us information." The crime lord stated. "What kind of information?"

"I just wanted to let you know that Ronan and the Blue Crew are planning on moving in on your territory tomorrow." He told him.

"He'd never do that." Newmark chuckled. "The Sweet Tooths and the Blue Crew have had a truce in place almost as long as the dome! We never gained any real ground, both of us are just too strong to win a decisive victory. We'd just leave ourselves vulnerable to the other Cartels if we started a war."

"The rumour I heard is that they have a connection in the military who's sold them some pretty serious firepower." Gates told him. "You know, those standard issue blasters are way more effective than anything available on the market."

"They'd roll over us like a steamroller!" Newmark gasped, causing chocolate to fall from his mouth onto his shirt. "He'd crush us like we were nothing!"

"That's why I wanted to make you an offer." Gated told him, putting an arm around him. "You see, I have some firepower of my own that you can use. It would give you a fighting chance, and it is very reasonably priced."

"How much are we talking?" Newmark asked him. Gates handed him a card with an account number on it. "Half a million?"

"You earned over 80 million last year." Gates told him. "Now, you can either pay up, in which case I tell you where the weapons are, and you get them for four hundred grand, or you presume I'm lying. I walk out the door, you keep my 100 grand as a gift and we say no more about it."

Newmark's face flashed red with anger as he thought about the possibility of losing his business. He put down his bag of treats and pulled out a palm pilot, tapping some keys. Gates heard his own palm pilot bleeping, and flipped it open, smiling as he realised that the money had been transferred.

"The weapons are at the fish cannery down the street." Gates told him, turning and walking away. "They'll be coming through the central plaza tomorrow. Happy hunting."

"Boys, get to the cannery NOW!" Newmark roared. "If Ronan thinks he can walk into my territory and take it without a fight, he's even dumber than he looks!"

As he got into his car, Gate's phone rang, and he answered it.

"The weapons were here just like you said. They're easily worth every penny!" Ronan told him. "You're certain they're making a move?"

"Trust me; those weapons are going to get a workout tomorrow." Gates told the other gang lord. "Trust me; tomorrow everyone's going to see a lot of action."


	30. The Pieces in Position

A/N: Just because I caused some confusion, the character Ronan mentioned in the last chapter is NOT the same Ronan from "Summer's Plight". In the episode "Ranger Green", Fresno Bob introduced one of the cartels as "Ronan and The Blue Crew". That is the Ronan in question, the boss of that cartel. The other one, I guarantee is dead, and isn't going to be making a comeback in the physical sense.

Flynn dropped Tenaya and Ziggy at the orphanage a little while before midday. Ziggy led her up the path towards the orphanage. She was a little nervous about the prospect of returning here. The last time she had been at the orphanage was the day Venjix had forced her to attack it. That was the day that Ziggy had saved her life and taken her to the Garage.

"It's alright, the kids won't recognise you." He assured her again. "You were wearing your visor when you attacked."

Tenaya followed him as he made his way towards the main door. Ms. Foster was outside with a few of the younger kids, giving them some time playing outside on the climbing frame. She smiled as she saw Ziggy and came over to greet him.

"It's great to see you again Ziggy." She told him, hugging him warmly. "How have things been lately?"

"Things have been a little hectic lately." He told her regretfully. "I'm sure you read the papers."

"I figured your friends haven't exactly had a great time of things lately." She replied. She saw Tenaya standing a little way from her. "So who's your new friend?"

"This is Tenaya." Ziggy introduced her, gesturing her to come closer. Tenaya approached, taking Ms. Foster's hand and shaking it.

"It's great to meet you." She greeted her with a warm grin. "The kids love it when they have someone new to play with."

Tenaya smiled a little hearing this. She had found herself having warm, pleasant feelings any time she thought about children, ever since the first time she had been to the orphanage. Something about them made her feel good. She was happy that the matron didn't seem to recognise her as the one that attacked the orphanage and seemed to be happy to have her there.

"Go on ahead and introduce yourself to the kids." Ziggy told her. "I'll be along in a little while."

Tenaya made her way over to the play area, kneeling down at the edge of it as she introduced herself to a little girl who was reading. Ziggy smiled as he saw her with the kids. Quickly other kids joined her and surrounded her, laughing with her as she talked with them.

"They seem to really like her." Ms. Foster observed.

"She loves kids." He told her. "I promised I'd bring her around here."

"She's pretty." Helen complimented her. Ziggy just looked at her.

"Helen, we're just friends." He told her. "Tenaya's been through a lot recently."

"Well I didn't say anything." Ms. Foster teased him. "I just said she was pretty. I didn't say she was your girlfriend or anything."

"That's good, because she's not." Ziggy warned her. "We're just friends."

"If that's true, why were you blushing when I said she was pretty?" The matron asked him, playfully nudging him with her elbow.

"I was not!" He protested weakly, feeling his face getting warmer as he began flushing again. Helen had always been able to see right through him. She had raised him since before he could walk, she was practically his mother. He knew that his protests were futile, she had seen the way he looked at Tenaya, and she knew he was falling for her.

"You know, just because you're friends doesn't mean you can't end up being more one day." She told him.

"Would you stop it?" Ziggy begged her. "I'm not going out with her."

"I'll tell you what, if you can deny that you'd like things to go further, I'll stop teasing you." She offered him. Ziggy just stood, opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish. He was trying to deny it, to protest his innocence, but the words just wouldn't come out.

"OK, I admit that I like her." He told her. "Man, I have to be nuts."

"What's so silly about that?" She asked him.

"I can't explain it, but it would be complicated." He said in response. He hated lying to her, but he knew she would never understand if he explained that she was a Venjix attack bot, and that she had already attacked the orphanage, not once, but twice. Ziggy loved her like a mother, and he thought of the kids very much as his family. He would never do anything to put them in jeopardy. Tenaya wasn't a threat to them, but he was sure that Ms. Foster wouldn't see it that way. "We're friends and that's all."

"Relationships are complicated." Ms. Foster replied. "That doesn't mean they aren't worthwhile."

"It's just...the Rangers would think I'm crazy if I told them." He explained. "Besides, I'm sure she doesn't think of me like that. She's pretty and smart and...what would she want me for? I'm nothing special."

"You really don't give yourself enough credit." She chuckled. "You're smart, funny, you're quite easily one of the kindest and most thoughtful people I know. There are loads of reasons she'd be lucky to be in a relationship with you."

"I just...can't." Ziggy told her. He couldn't explain that the real reason he couldn't take anything further with Tenaya was the fact that she was technically their prisoner. He looked over to her, seeing one of the girls looking at the silver cuff bracelet on her right wrist. Tenaya seemed to be showing it to her. It was a restraint, a way to keep her from detaching her hand or accessing her weapon, though obviously the young girl seemed to like it. Tenaya was smiling as she talked to the girl.

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to be happy Ziggy." Ms. Foster told him. "If you like her, maybe you should tell her."

"Ziggy!" One of the boys called from the circle of kids assembled on the lawn. "Come and show us some of your magic tricks!"

"Please!" They all chorused together. Tenaya looked at him. Smiling and waved him over.

"You wouldn't want to disappoint them now would you?" Ms. Foster asked him. Ziggy made his way over, sitting cross-legged in front of them and pulled up his sleeves.

"As you can see, I have nothing up my sleeves." He began. Tenaya sat with one of the young girls on her lap, watching Ziggy setting up one of his tricks, smiling. She loved it when Ziggy did things to make her happy, and he had given her a huge boost today. Not only did she love spending time with the kids, in many ways, it felt like he was accepting her as more than just a prisoner to look after. He had introduced her to his family, and it made her feel good.

Dr. K was working furiously, dismantling the weapon that had been used on Dillon. She allowed herself a little smile as she finally managed to remove the motherboard. As she heard the door beginning to unlock, she quickly shoved the motherboard into the pocket of her lab coat and shoved what was left of the weapon away. Gates came into the room, carrying a case.

"Did you miss me?" He asked her, setting the case down.

"Like I'd miss a case of measles," she muttered.

"Well, since you've been so kind and cooperative, I decided to give you a little gift." He told her. "I was planning on taking you with us when we go to the ceremony."

"You're taking me with you?" She asked him curiously.

"There have been literally thousands of people who have tried to change the world and take control." He told her. "Of course I'll be one of those rare few who actually manage to do it. I wanted you to be there to witness the beginning of the new world order."

"What's in the case?" She asked him. Gates smiled and opened it.

"This is the Widowmaker laser sniper rifle." He told her, activating a control that brought the glass tube, holding the male agent into the room. "You set him up with the Mandrake rig, so with this rifle, he'll be able to fire accurately over three miles. From the building I've chosen? There's no way he'll miss, and you'll have a front-row seat when he fires the shot that changes the world."

"You're going to shoot him?" Dr. K asked him, a little disbelievingly. "Why did you bother with all the other stuff? Kidnapping me, creating the Project Strychnine rigs, the White Rose, it all seems a little elaborate if you're just going to shoot him."

"It seems that way, but I just needed to tie up a few loose ends." He told her. "You see, if I just shot him, then there would be an investigation, and there'd be a chance it could come back to me. This way, there'll be so many possible candidates, that it'll be impossible for them to find out who did it."

He walked around behind her, beginning to stroke her shoulders gently. She felt a shudder running up her spine as he touched her.

"Just like a well-played game of chess, I have all the pieces moving into place." He told her. "I told the Sweet Tooths that the Blue Crew were going to invade their territory, and I told them the same thing. Then I just gave them a few weapons to kill each other with. When the ceremony begins, both sides will see each other, armed to the teeth and see that the rumours are true."

"They'll fire on each other." Dr. K stated. "The military will join in, with all three sides fighting..."

"That's when Mandrake here will take his shots." Gates told her. "With so many shots being fired, it'll be impossible to tell who fired the shot that killed Colonel Truman and his son. Since he'll be using a laser rifle, there'll be no way for them to tell it wasn't one of the blasters that fired the kill shot."

"But there'll be civilians there!" She shrieked. "With all those shots being fired, people are bound to be killed by stray shots!"

"You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs." He replied with a shrug as he packed away the rifle into the case. Mandrake's tube disappeared once more into the ceiling, as Gates picked up the case. "Get some rest, tomorrow you get to see the start of a new world."

Sam was working through some tests as Flynn arrived in her lab. Because of the gravity of the case, security was especially tight. He had spent a long time being searched and questioned before he was finally allowed to proceed. He came over behind her, tapping her on the shoulder to catch her attention.

"I have turkey sandwiches and coffee." He told her. Sam grabbed the flask from him.

"Sod the sandwiches, I need caffeine!" She responded, pouring herself a cup. "I've been at this all night."

"Was it really that bad?" Flynn asked her. Sam nodded as she gulped down a mouthful.

"There were 16 victims." She told him. "There're still 3 we haven't identified."

"it sounds like there was a hell of a mess." He commented, looking a little warily at the unmistakable shape of a human body on the bench before him, covered by a blue sheet. This was one part of her life he was never comfortable with. He knew the nature of her job, but he still never understood how she ended up being so blasé around corpses.

"You don't know the half of it." She muttered. "I've got a full team and it's still going to be about another three hours before I can get to go home."

"What have you found?" He asked her.

"Nothing new." She replied with a shrug. "I really wish we had some more to go on."

"If there is anything to go on, I know you'll find it." Flynn assured her. "Now, if you don't mind, I think I'll be going. I think I saw your friend there moving."

"Flynn, all of his internal organs are the same consistency as minestrone soup." She reminded him as she looked to the corpse he pointed to. "The only time he's going to be moving is when I slide him into the wall."

"Yeah, well I still get a little creeped out around this kind of thing." He replied, kissing her cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks for the lunch." She called after him as he left. "I love you."

"I love you too darlin'." He called back as he left. Sam turned back to her work wearily. Whatever had happened, she was determined to find out.

Scott arrived back at The Garage late in the evening. He had spent most of the day with his father, talking about the recording and the implications of it. As expected, he had heard a long lecture about how he should have handed it to him in the first place. Of course by now it was too late. At least now though, he had the recording for analysis.

"Wow, I guess you had a long day too." Ziggy commented as he and Tenaya arrived back from the orphanage.

"You're just getting back now?" Scott asked him.

"Hey, those kids have a lot of energy." Ziggy told him. "So what's happening?"

"We're going ahead with the ceremony as planned." Scott told him. "Anyway, if you don't mind, I have a big day ahead of me. I'll be in my room."

As he left, Ziggy started rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Tenaya turned around, looking at him as she tried to think of what to say.

"Thank you for today." She began, fidgeting as she thought of what she wanted to say. "I really loved meeting the kids."

"They're a great group." He agreed. "Helen's a good person, she looks after them really well."

"I enjoyed your magic show." She told him. "I thought I'd figure out how you did some of those tricks, but you managed to keep me fooled."

"What can I say, I've always been good at sleight of hand." He told her. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"I really did." She told him. There was a long, slightly uncomfortable silence as they just stood, looking at each other.

"There's one thing that I really want to know." She told him. "What did happen to that flower you made disappear?"

"It was magic." He told her, reaching forward. Snapping his fingers behind her ear, he pulled his hand back into view, showing her the dandelion that he had used in the trick earlier. Tenaya laughed as she saw it. "Here, you take it."

"Thank you." She replied as they made their way back to the secure room. "You know a few of those kids asked me if I was your girlfriend."

"They did?" Ziggy asked her as she sat on her chair. "Why would they ask that?"

"I think they want to see you find someone." She told him. "They really love you there."

"I kind of like them too." Ziggy assured her. "They're my family."

"I like your family." She told him. "Goodnight Ziggy."

"Goodnight Tenaya." He said as he left the room, leaving her to sleep. She held the dandelion in her hand, playing with it absent-mindedly and smiled.

The following day, Colonel Truman was in his office, getting into his dress uniform when there was a light knock on his door.

"Come in." He beckoned the visitor. Scott stepped inside as he straightened his medals.

"It's been a while since you wore that." Scott said with a chuckle, gesturing to the dress fatigues. "Is that what they call middle-age spread?"

"Mind your tongue." Colonel Truman warned him playfully. "I'm still more than capable of putting you across my knee."

"So are we ready for this?" Scott asked his father.

"Not quite yet." He told him. He reached into his desk, pulling out a bottle of champagne. He poured each of them a glass before handing one to Scott.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Colonel Truman asked him. "I could understand if you wanted to give it a miss."

"It's like you said, today is about Marcus." Scott replied, lifting his glass. "To Marcus."

With that, Colonel Truman lifted his glass and tapped his son's, accepting the toast to the son that wouldn't be at the ceremony that day, before they both sank their glasses. Corporal Hicks came into the room, seeing them both standing there.

"I was told to let you know that the ceremony's about to start." He told them. "Is there anything else I can do?"

"Just be ready for anything." Colonel Truman told him.

Meanwhile, in the central plaza, the crowd was being filed into the viewing area. A stage had been erected in the middle of the plaza, and a band was busy tuning up for their performance. Flynn and Ziggy were shown to their VIP seats in the front row.

"Are you sure it's such a great idea leaving Summer alone?" Ziggy asked the Blue Ranger.

"Somehow I doubt she'd have been in much of a mood to celebrate right now." Flynn replied in a sigh. "Besides, have you tried to get her to leave that room? She's barely been to the bathroom since we put Dillon in stasis."

"Hey, watch it!" Ziggy complained as a woman carrying a tray of sodas bumped into him. She never even flinched as she made her way down the row. "There's a huge turnout here."

"It looks like we might have some uninvited guests." Flynn said as he pointed to a couple of black vans pulling into a side-street. A few members of The Blue Crew disembarked, before standing, leaning on the side of the van as they watched everything unfolding.

"Remember, there are a lot of military here." Ronan, the leader of the gang reminded them. "No one pulls a weapon unless we have to. If the Sweet Tooths show up, we make our move. Until then, no one moves a muscle."

At that moment, on a rooftop overlooking the plaza, Mandrake dragged a struggling Dr. K onto the roof. Like many of the buildings in the area, it had been cleared as a security measure, and so there was no one there to see him bring her there. Her hands were handcuffed behind her back, and she had been gagged with duct tape. He shoved her roughly against a wall, before unlocking one of the cuffs. He threaded it behind a drainpipe, before reattaching it, holding her in place.

"Mandrake, this is Strychnine. Are you in position?" Gates asked over his comm.-link.

"Affirmative." He replied in a cold voice as he set down his briefcase. He began assembling the sniper's rifle.

"Is the doctor secure?" He asked the assassin.

"Affirmative." The assassin replied as he made his way to the edge of the roof. He levelled the rifle, before looking down the scope.

"Now, you are only to begin firing on my order, and you fire no more than three shots, is that clear?" Gates asked, looking around in case anyone was listening. He was wearing his dress uniform over his battle suit, and he was standing in position as part of the security detail.

"Affirmative." Mandrake replied. Dr. K struggled in a futile manner against her bonds. As desperate as she was to stop this, she was helpless to do so. All she could do was sit and watch.

Mayor Fallon walked onto the stage as the band started playing the National Anthem, making his way to the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the ceremony to honour the Heroes of Corinth!" He announced, eliciting a cheer from the crowd. "Firstly, I just wanted us all to spend a minute in silence out of respect for the fallen, those who didn't make it."

The plaza fell silent, and the crowd bowed their heads. Everyone spent some time in quiet reflection of those they had lost. Every second was agony for Dr. K. It was a reminder of the cost of her mistake. Eventually, the band played a tribute as the silence ended.

"Now, it's the moment you've all been waiting for. The presentation!" The mayor announced. "Firstly, for his unwavering judgement, and cool head in a time of crisis, Chad Winchester the Fourth!"

There was a rapturous applause that seemed to shake the very ground as he made his way onto the stage. Chas gratefully accepted his medal and his sword, before waving to the crowd. Brie was in the front row, flanked by numerous guards, and was clapping louder than anyone.

"I guess he got his moment." Ziggy whispered as he applauded politely.

"He did." Flynn sighed, not bothering to clap at all.

"Next, for his determination and valour on the ground defence, allow me to present, Colonel Mason Truman!"

The applause this time was still loud, though a lot more subdued. Because of the smear campaign in the newspapers, there were many people who had reservations about him receiving the award. He stepped up, accepting his award and standing aside.

"Is the primary target in your sights?" Gates asked over his comm.-link.

"Affirmative." Mandrake replied.

"Wait for my order." He told him. "The pieces are almost in place."

As Scott came onto the stage to accept his award, an ice-cream van came into the plaza. A couple of Sweet Tooths stepped out. One of them pointed across to the Blue Crew at the opposite side.

"They're here, just like we were told!" One of them stated. "Call the boss!"

"Screw that, they've seen us!" One of the others screamed as the Blue Crew opened the doors to their vans and started unloading weapons, running at them, screaming. "ATTACK!"

Screams erupted from the crowd as laser shots fired backwards and forwards between the two gangs. Chas pulled out a hand blaster and took cover behind the stage, while several members of the crowd ran in all directions in blind panic and soldiers joined the fray to quell the fire-fight.

"Sir, get down!" Colonel Truman yelled as he grabbed the mayor.

"Checkmate." Gates said over the comm.-link. Dr. K could only watch as Mandrake opened fire.

As Colonel Truman held the Mayor closely, guiding him to safety, the first shot went straight through his skull and hit the Colonel in the chest, causing them both to fall to the ground lifelessly. Scott was hit before he could morph, being dashed to the ground. Chas watched in horror as the scene unfolded. Looking over to Gates as he nonchalantly walked away, he realised that he knew this was going to happen.

A couple of hours after the ceremony, Scott woke up in hospital, feeling a sharp pain in his chest.

"You were hit during the fire-fight." One of the doctors told him.

"You were pretty lucky." Flynn told him. "It's a hell of a mess out there."

"The shot went straight through, it didn't hit anything vital." The doctor confirmed. "You'll be sore for a few days, and I wouldn't recommend hitting the gym for a while, but you'll be fine."

"How long will it be until I'm back on my feet?" Scott asked him.

"I'd say you'll be out of active service for at least a fortnight." The doctor told him.

"What about the mayor and Colonel Truman?" Ziggy asked. "Security wouldn't let us near the OR..."

The doctor shifted uneasily as he asked.

"Doc, what's happening?" Scott asked him.

"Mayor Fallon was hit in the head and killed instantly." The doctor informed him. "Your father had grave injuries from the shot that hit him. We took him into the OR as soon as we could, but we couldn't save him."

Flynn put a hand on Scott's shoulder, and his mouth hung open as he heard this. "I'm sorry, but he didn't survive."


	31. Checkmate

The following day, the atmosphere at central command was more than a little subdued. What should have been a day of celebration and quiet reflection had turned into a bloody massacre as a result of the running street battle and resultant riots caused by Gates' manipulations. Instead, the entire population was in mourning. The mayor and Colonel Truman had been killed in the attack.

Gates strode into the building, wearing his new uniform. Although both he and Hicks were the same rank, and both were Colonel Truman's immediate underlings, he was chosen to lead central command in the interim. Hicks had been responsible for the security detail, and as a result, he was held responsible for the deaths of Colonel Truman, Mayor Fallon, and all of the citizens who were killed in the crossfire in the massed battle the previous day. He made his way into Colonel Truman's office, making himself comfortable in his chair. There was a knock at the door. He looked up to see Hicks standing before him. He was nowhere near as well groomed and presentable as he normally was as a result of a long, sleepless night. Between being hauled before a disciplinary hearing and his feelings of guilt, he had understandably not had a restful night.

"You wanted to see me." He stated as he came into the room. He hadn't slept much, and he hadn't shaved or showered. He knew that there was likely to be serious repercussions for the events of the previous day. Gates closed the door behind him.

"The disciplinary board has given me their judgement." He told him. "Given your incompetence and your failure to do your duty, I have no option but to give you a dishonourable discharge. Hand me your identification."

Hicks gulped down the lump in his throat and pulled off his ID badge. He had suspected that this was a possibility, but he didn't want to believe it was happening. Gates took it off him, as two soldiers entered the room.

"If you would be so kind, please escort Mr. Hicks off the premises." He told the soldiers. "I'll let you go to your locker to change. I expect you to leave your uniform."

Hicks just nodded and left the room with the officers. Gates leant back in his chair and chuckled as he saw the fruits of his planning finally beginning to come to him. He was interim leader of Corinth's military forces, and once an election was held to elect a new mayor, an election Chas was certain to win, he would be named as Colonel Truman's permanent replacement. The phone rang and he checked the caller ID.

"Chas, I trust you're well." He said in a casual tone.

"You never said anyone was going to die!" He screamed down the line. "You said you were going to discredit Mayor Fallon. You never said anything..."

"I can't help it if a few gangsters decide to blow each other away now can I?" He asked him.

"That's bullshit Gates! You knew that was going to happen!" He yelled. "You've gone too far!"

"I think maybe we need to meet to discuss a few things." Gates told him. "I'll meet you at your mansion in an hour."

With that, he hung up the phone and gathered his jacket. He was so close to everything coming to fruition. He wasn't going to let anyone get in his way, least of all a spoiled rich brat with an ego.

Hicks wandered through the streets of Corinth, making his way to the race track. He made his way inside, finding the room full of men in business suits. They all stopped talking and looked at him curiously. No one went into the lounge here, it was well known that this was the headquarters of the Scorpion Cartel. People were too sensible to go there. He walked up to the bar and gestured over the barman.

"I'd like a large scotch." He stated.

"Sir, it is only 11 AM." The barman told him.

"I know what time it is!" Hicks stated angrily. "Get me that drink!"

The barman put together Hicks' drink, handing it over. He downed it quickly, before handing back the glass and gesturing for another. One of the Cartel members came over behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"You know this is a private lounge." He informed him. "We'll overlook this, but you have to leave."

"Really?" Hicks asked him. "I'm having a really bad day, so I'd suggest you just let me be. You might want to tell Fresno Bob that I'm here."

"You might want to just leave." The gangster told him, grabbing his shoulder. Hicks grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm sharply, snapping the bones with ease and smashed his face into the bar.

A couple of the other gangsters got up from their table and rushed him. Despite their superior number, Hicks easily outmatched them with his military training. Soon, he stood alone in the room, half a dozen broken bodies littering the floor, groaning in pain. He picked his glass up off the bar and drank his scotch.

"You know there are better ways to get my attention." Fresno Bob said as he arrived in the room, looking around at the wreckage of the private lounge. Dozens of gangsters filed into the room behind him. Hicks stood, ready to fight, but he knew that there were too many for him to defeat, even with his training. "Now, you might want to tell me why I shouldn't just ask these gentlemen to bury you under the race track."

"I'm unemployed." He told him. "With a dishonourable discharge on my record, no one will employ me. I'll be forced into compulsory agricultural duty unless someone else employs me. I don't really see myself planting potatoes for the rest of my life."

"You want a job?" Fresno bob laughed. "Why should I employ you?"

"I just took half a dozen of your guys and handed them their asses in less than two minutes." He reminded the crime boss. "I think I've proven what I can do."

"I'll tell you what." Fresno Bob began, gesturing one of his largest henchmen forward. "If you can beat Knuckles here, I'll give you a job."

Knuckles walked up to Hicks, sniggering. He towered over the former soldier, and was significantly heavier. Hicks stood confidently in the larger man's shadow.

"I'll go easy on you." Knuckles told him, drawing back a fist. As he lunged forward, Hicks dodged to the side, before kicking his knee, shattering it with a sickening crunch. As the huge mobster fell to the floor, screaming in agony, Hicks hooked him into an armlock, snapping his arm with ease. He then knelt on his chest, his hand hovering over his face.

"Should I finish him?" Hicks asked Fresno Bob. The gang boss just shook his head and started clapping.

"I think you've proven your point." He stated as the huge mobster was helped from the room. "Consider yourself a member of my security staff."

Chas was pacing in his study impatiently when Gates arrived. Brie was sitting on the huge leather chair by his desk. Both of them had been horrified by the events of the ceremony the day beforehand. Chas knew that Gates planned to have the ceremony interrupted as a way to show up the mayor and create doubt over his suitability to lead. Of course he had never said anything about using the Cartels, and he certainly never said anything about them being armed with military grade weapons.

He gulped down some water to dry his throat and his mouth, almost spilling it on his dress uniform. As an officer, he was to attend the Mayor and Colonel Truman's funeral that day. He couldn't refuse, not without attracting his attention to himself. Of course he had no idea how he could go through with the ceremony, not when he was feeling crushed by his guilt.

"Acting Colonel Gates is here to see you sir." His butler announced as Gates stepped into the room, followed closely by two soldiers in uniform that Chas had never seen before.

"Thank you Jeffery. Would you give us some privacy please?" He responded. The butler bowed and started to leave the room. Gates grabbed him as he attempted to show the strangers out.

"My comrades are staying here." He said flatly. Chas felt uneasy, but he waved the butler out of the door. As he shut it behind the servant, he rounded on Gates.

"It looks like the plan went a little awry." He said with a smirk.

"You said you were going to disrupt the ceremony!" Chas snarled at his co-conspirator. "You never said anyone would die!"

"I would say the ceremony was disrupted." Gates said with no hint of remorse. "I have to admit that I didn't intend for the Mayor to die. I was happy enough for him to be forced to resign following the riots, but Colonel Truman pulled him into the shot."

"You had Colonel Truman assassinated?" Chas gasped. Like all the other people of the city, he thought they had simply been hit by a stray shot during the riot.

"I told you I wouldn't be serving the Trumans forever." Gates replied. Brie and Chas looked at each other in their horror as they realised how far Gates was willing to go. "This accelerates things now. Since the Mayor is also dead, they have put the colony under Martial Law. That means that I am now in command. Well, until they can hold an election for a new Mayor. It looks like your campaign starts a little earlier than we thought."

"You murdered Colonel Truman!" Brie shrieked. "You killed Mayor Fallon, dozens of people are dead because of that riot! They're dead because of you! Are you insane?"

"Just remember who got you this far." He whispered menacingly. "When you're in power, just remember who got you there when you make the decision to make my promotion permanent."

"You have to be joking." Chas laughed nervously, hardly able to believe what he was saying. "I can't go through with this! You've gone too far!"

"Listen to me you jumped up piece of shit!" Gates snarled, grabbing him by the jacket and lifting Chas from the floor, slamming him into the wall with a force that should not have been possible. "I've worked too long and hard for this!"

"You need me Gates!" Chas reminded him. "You can't manage this if I don't become Mayor. I don't care what happens to me anymore, you aren't going to get away with this! I'll tell the military, I'll have you arrested, I'll..."

He was slammed into the wall again, silencing him as air was driven from his lungs. Brie got up from the chair to try and attack him, but the female stranger grabbed her and forced her down onto the chair again, before holding her in a painful grip that she couldn't break.

"Brie!" He coughed, watching her struggling against her grip. She had a hand clamped over Brie's mouth to prevent her from screaming.

"You are right about one thing, I need you Chas." Gates told him, drawing closer, smirking. "But I don't need your parents, I don't need your butler, and I don't need her."

He released one hand, holding Chas' entire bodyweight above the ground with one hand as he pointed to Brie. Chas saw the look of fear in her eyes as they pleaded with him to save her.

"Nightshade, hold her steady." Gates ordered the woman holding him. "Mandrake, take the letter-opener from the desk. If Chas doesn't agree to our demands in 30 seconds, cut out her left eye, after a minute, cut out the right."

"ALRIGHT!" Chas screamed, causing Gates to smile. "I'll do it, just please, leave and don't hurt her!"

"Mandrake, put the knife down." Gates ordered him. Mandrake drove the dull blade of the knife down with enough force to drive it into the desk. "If you tell anyone about this, we'll be back. You can't stop us, you know you can't. If you don't do as we tell you, your lovely fiancée will end up the same way as Colonel Gates."

With that, he dropped Chas unceremoniously to the floor, where he fought for breath. Nightshade released Brie, allowing her to rush to Chas' side.

"No one will stand in my way." He told them as he turned to leave. "Marcus found that out the hard way."

As he left, Chas and Brie held each other tightly for comfort.

"Did he just say he killed Marcus?" Brie asked him. "Chas, he's psychotic! He has to be stopped!"

"We can't Brie, you know what will happen if we do." He told her, looking into her eyes in his terror. "There's nothing we can do."

Back at the Garage, Ziggy went into Tenaya's cell to check on her. She was sitting on her chair, quietly sleeping. Ziggy loved how peaceful she looked as she slept. Dillon always said he never slept as a result of his implants, but it seemed that Tenaya did. He looked down, smiling as he saw the dandelion he had given her still resting in her hand. As he turned to leave, not wanting to disturb her, she began to stir.

"Ziggy?" She asked as she came to. He turned around, looking at her regretfully.

"I'm sorry to wake you, I didn't know you were still sleeping." He told her. "I just wanted to check on you before the funeral."

"I'm fine." She replied with a little sorrow in her voice. "I'm really sorry I wasn't more help at the ceremony. When the riot started..."

"It's alright, I know you did your best." He said reassuringly. "When that riot started, there was s much going on. None of us could have prevented it."

"I just wish there was something else I could have done." She reiterated. "I see you're dressed for the occasion."

For the first time since his early days with the Rangers, he was wearing a suit for the funeral, though now he looked more presentable in it, having received a little help in explaining how to wear it properly. "It looks good on you."

"Thanks." He replied, smiling a little at the compliment. "We'll be going to the funeral shortly."

"How is everybody?" She asked him.

"Scott's holding up pretty well." Ziggy told her. "Flynn's holding the rest of us together pretty well."

"What about Summer?" Tenaya asked him. Ziggy sighed.

"I think there's a part of her that blames herself for what happened because she wasn't there." He told her sadly. "She was pretty close to the Colonel. She's been shut up in that chamber with Dillon's pod all day. I'm really worried about her."

"I feel badly for them." She commented. "I never used to think about what it meant to lose someone."

"We all feel badly for them." He told her, holding her hand. "I'll be back later, I promise."

With that, he turned and left the room, preparing himself for the ceremony ahead. He knew that right now Scott and Summer would need all the help they could get.

Meanwhile, in another area of the compound, Summer was sitting by Dillon's stasis pod, staring into it, into the face of the man she loved.

"I really wish you were here." She whispered, running a hand over the shell of the pod longingly. "I can't believe he's gone."

She wiped away a tear and leant over the pod.

"I don't know how much longer I can take this." She whimpered. "It feels like I'm losing everyone."

"You haven't lost us." Scott told her as he came into the room. He was dressed in a dark suit for the occasion, though his shoulder was in a sling as a result of the injury he had suffered during the attack. "We're still here."

Summer got up and made her way over to Scott, hugging him tightly.

"I'm sorry." She stated, looking into his eyes sympathetically. "I know this must be hard for you."

"I'll be fine." He responded, releasing her. "I know you cared about him too."

"Guys, the car's here." Flynn told them as he entered, finding them together. "It's time to go."

In the memorial gardens, preparations were already being made for the funeral. Military personnel had set up a tight cordon all around the grounds. Everyone was subjected to thorough scans before they were allowed to enter. As a result of the riot at the ceremony, the military was keen not to repeat the experience. No one was getting in with a weapon that wasn't in the military. It was for this reason that Fresno Bob had called the Cartel bosses here to meet and discuss the repercussions of the battle the day before. His car stopped, and he looked around the men in the car. His gaze stopped on Hicks.

"I'll take the new guy with me." He told them. "Everyone else wait in the car."

"I don't even know why we're here." One of the men grumbled. "Colonel Truman put so many of our friends in prison..."

"He was a worthy adversary." Fresno Bob interrupted him. "He may have been an enemy, but I respected him. I want to pay my respects. Besides, I need to know what the hell Newmark and Ronan thought they were doing. We all drew up that truce, we know what a full scale war will cost us!"

"So why's the new guy going with you?" The driver asked. "Surely you should take someone with a little more time in the Cartel. You don't know if you can trust this guy."

"Colonel Truman was the best friend I ever had." Hicks stated flatly. "You can trust me because there's no way I'd disrespect him by interrupting his funeral unless I had to."

"Besides, we aren't allowed weapons in the grounds." Fresno Bob reminded him. "I think after that little display at the track, we can all agree that he'll be the one best suited to protect me if anything happens."

With that, he and Hicks went to the gates. They were both searched for weapons before being allowed inside. The guards all exchanged a few glances and whispers as they saw Hicks accompanying the known crime boss. Hicks could feel their judgemental gaze and knew what they were thinking. He had betrayed them. By turning to the Cartel when he was discharged, he had turned his back on everything they had ever taught him. He made his way with Fresno Bob to confront Newmark and Ronan. They came over to him sheepishly. As the leader of the most powerful of the Cartels, Fresno Bob was the only one they trusted to mediate this meeting.

"What in the hell was that all about?" Fresno Bob asked them. "Are you completely insane?"

"He was coming to invade our territory." Newmark snapped accusingly, pointing at Ronan.

"You made the first move!" Ronan replied.

"Enough!" Bob interrupted them, considering things. "Where the hell did you get those weapons? They're military grade, not available to the public."

"The guy who tipped me off to Ronan's attack sold them to me." Newmark told him. "He warned us that Ronan had someone in the military in his pocket and bought some serious hardware."

"You're a lying piece of crap Newmark!" Ronan stated. "You're the one with the military connections. If it wasn't for me buying these from a dealer, you'd have over-run us when you attacked."

"We didn't attack!" Newmark yelled, biting a large piece of nougat. "If you're so innocent, why were you in the plaza?"

"I was there to intercept your attack." He replied.

"Wait, so both of you are claiming you were told the other was attacking and bought weapons from a supplier?" Fresno Bob asked them. "Either one of you is lying, or someone's played you both for suckers."

As they were about to answer, Fresno Bob gestured to them to be quiet. A guard arrived.

"The ceremony is about to begin." He told them, giving Hicks a dirty look. "Come with me please gentlemen."

With that, they assembled around the edge of the two graves. A minister was standing, preparing to read the ceremony. Looking around at all the mourners, Newmark's mouth hung open as he saw Gates standing beside the minister, wearing the uniform denoting him as Colonel. He nudged Fresno Bob.

"That's him." He whispered. "That's Kirkdale, the guy that sold me the weapons."

"He told me his name was Sutherland." Ronan added, his eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "He sold weapons to me too."

Hicks shifted uncomfortably as he heard this. He now knew that Gates was involved in the riots. It was his fault all those people died.

At the end of the service, the Rangers prepared to leave the grounds. They were approached by Gates as they were about to get into their car.

"Scott, I wanted to offer you my condolences." He told him, saluting him. "He was a good man."

"He was, thank you." Scott replied, returning the gesture. "We'll just be going."

"There's just one more thing." He stated as Scott was beginning to get into the car. He stopped short. "I'm sure by now you know that I'm the interim leader of Corinth's defence forces."

"I had heard that." Scott said sharply. "Is there a point to this? I've just attended my father's funeral and..."

"I wanted to hit the ground running. Given the way things are going, I have launched a programme of technology similar to the Ranger technology." He told him, handing Scott a folder marked "Project Strychnine".

"That's good, we can use all the help we can get." Scott replied.

"The thing is, I'm not comfortable with this informal alliance we have with the Rangers." He told him. "The bond between Colonel Truman and Dr. K was strong enough for him to let her write her own ticket, but that's not my way. That's why I'm making a decree that the Rangers are no longer to operate independently. You are all to submit to my orders from now on."

"You can't do that." Scott protested. Gates just gave him a little smirk and handed him an envelope.

"That is the order." He told him flatly. "The law is that all defensive technology strategy is to be the sole jurisdiction of the military. If you will not submit to my orders and enlist, Project Ranger will be shut down and you'll be charged with treason."


	32. A Break in the Clouds

The Rangers got back to the Garage after the funeral, making their way into the main room. It had been a trying enough day as they said their farewells to Colonel Truman and Mayor Fallon; however, they soon found themselves unable to even mourn in peace. Gates had taken the opportunity after the service to tell them that he was bringing Project Ranger under military control.

Scott tore off his jacket, launching it carelessly onto the floor, before slumping down onto the couch. Summer sat next to him, settling into his arms for comfort.

"I don't know about you, but I could use a drink." Flynn muttered, making his way to the kitchen.

"I'm going to check on Tenaya." Ziggy whispered, making his way from the room. Despite the fact he had only really known Colonel Truman a comparatively short time, it brought up a lot of feelings in him. He had wished his whole life for parents to take care of him and love him unconditionally. Growing up in the orphanage, as much as he loved Ms. Foster, she always had to maintain a little distance in case the kids ever did get adopted and leave, and he had to share her with all the others, sometimes dozens of kids at any one time.

He had even been so desperate for a parental figure that he had latched onto Fresno Bob. It was painfully clear from the early days that he had little if any potential as a gangster, but he was so desperate for a family he persevered, even when he knew his conscience wouldn't let him do what was asked of him.

At first, he couldn't understand the way Scott was with his father. There was a distance and a level of animosity between them he could never understand. He had been so desperate for a family, longed for it so deeply that he couldn't understand how they could be at odds. It took him a while to realise that despite their differences, that there was always love between them.

"I can't believe he did this." Scott muttered. "I've just buried my dad, and he serves us with enlistment papers?"

"Scott, we don't have to think about this right now." Flynn told him, coming back with a couple of beers and handing him one. "I know you're upset."

"I can't believe this is happening." Summer muttered, pulling into Scott more closely. "It feels like everything's falling apart. First Dr. K goes missing, then Dillon got attacked, then your dad was killed and now this!"

"Summer, we always knew that things could get rough when this started." Scott told her, softly.

"It just feels like we're losing everything." She murmured. "I keep hoping that something's going to happen, but then something else goes wrong."

She pulled herself out of his arms and shuffled away to the stasis room to sit with Dillon. Flynn watched her go with a regretful look on his face. He looked to Scott, who just shook his head gently. Flynn wanted to go after her, to try and convince her to stay with them, but right now it wasn't the time. She wasn't ready.

"I wish there was something else we could do for her." Flynn stated, cracking open his beer and handing one to Scott. "I don't know how much more of this she can take. She's pretty close to the edge."

"She and dad were pretty close." Scott told him. "We're going to have to keep a close eye on her."

"Maybe this Project Strychnine thing might not be such a bad idea." Flynn suggested. "I mean right now we are down one Ranger, and I'm not sure how much longer Summer can hold it together."

"Flynn, if that was what Dr. K and dad wanted, they would have brought Project Ranger under the military from the beginning." Scott said quietly, taking a sip of beer. "They always thought it would operate more effectively as an independent force."

"Scott, think about this." Flynn told him. "The decision's been made. If we continue to operate out with the military, we'll be guilty of treason."

"Then I guess we better get ready to get into some major trouble." Scott replied as the alarm went off. Summer and Ziggy stumbled back into the room, making their way to their vehicles. "I guess it was too much to expect Venjix to leave us alone today."

As they arrived at the scene of the battle though, they found that the battle was already well underway without them. Wrecked Grinders littered the streets, and more flew through the air. As they disembarked, they saw what was happening.

There were three unknown warriors, clad in pitch black bodysuits, and wearing shoulder-harnesses carrying various weapons. Two of them appeared to be male, while the third was clearly female. One of the male warriors wore a mask completely covering his head that looked like a skull. He was busy ploughing through Grinders towards Venjix's latest attack bot, carving through them with a glowing energy sword in one hand, and a pistol in the other that fired huge energy blasts that wrecked everything in their path.

"Mandrake, hit the attack bot!" The skull-faced warrior yelled. They watched as the other male warrior pointed a huge rifle at the robot and fired. Each shot scored with pinpoint accuracy, scoring telling hits on its frame, causing sparks to fly. Weapons, limbs and other systems seemed to noticeably fail, causing the robot to start crashing about, falling to the ground uselessly.

"Nightshade, on the right!" The skull faced warrior commanded. The female warrior rushed around, taking down the last of the Grinders with a claw weapon attached to her right hand. As the attack bot started to stir, preparing to grow, all three rounded on it.

"Mandrake, use the stasis shot!" The Skull warrior commanded. The warrior with the rifle flipped a switch, causing the rifle to alter shape slightly. He pulled a shell from his shoulder harness, loading it into the breach before firing. The robot appeared to completely halt in its tracks, stopping growing. "Nightshade, the download spike!"

The female warrior surged forward, ramming a needle-like weapon into the robot's breast plate. A power surge rushed through it as the programme downloaded into it, jamming all its systems. The skull-faced warrior finished it off by carving it to pieces with his sword. A crowd quickly surrounded the scene, applauding the new heroes.

"Uh, does anyone else feel a little redundant right now?" Flynn asked as the three strangers were surrounded. A few reporters started to arrive on the scene, pushing their way through the crowd.

"It's alright, I will be only too happy to answer questions." The skull-faced warrior told them. He pulled off his helmet, revealing that it was, indeed, Gates. "You have all borne witness to the latest line of defence for Corinth city. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Project Strychnine."

"Colonel Gates, are you seriously taking a front-line role in the defence of Corinth?" One of the reporters asked as the Rangers tried to make sense of what they had seen.

"I think anyone who has followed my career will know that I've never been shy of getting my hands dirty." He said with a small laugh. "We all want to do our bit to help."

"Is this a replacement for the Rangers?" Another reporter asked. "You seemed to deal with the threat before they arrived."

"As I said, we all have a part to play." Gates told them as he started to make his way through the crowd. He stopped before Scott, gesturing to the Red Ranger. "As part of my new initiative, I wanted to pool our resources. I don't want to replace the Rangers; Project Strychnine exists to supplement their power. That is why I have asked the Rangers to sign up to the military and submit to military control. That way we can present a united front against Venjix."

He turned to Scott and offered his hand for a handshake.

"What do you have to say?" He asked. Scott looked around at the crowd awaiting his response. He didn't want to cause a scene in public. He took Gates' hand and shook it.

"It's good to see the city's safe for now." He told him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some personal business to attend t. You will receive our answer tomorrow."

With that, they left. Gates just smirked as the attention was turned back to him.

Sam was working hard in the forensics lab, feeling a little regret about the fact she was unable to attend the funeral. Given the riot, coming so quickly after The White Rose being wiped out, they had been inundated with work, to the point it was simply impossible for her to take the day off.

She wished she could be there for the man she loved. She knew that Colonel Truman's death would have affected him, not just because they liked each other and he considered him a friend, but because she knew that he would have to be there to support Scott and Summer. She hated the thought of him having to carry the burden of that all by himself.

"I'm just going to my office to rest up a little." She said in a yawn, informing one of her assistants where she'd be. "After 19 hours, I think I could use a break."

"I'll wake you if we need you." The young assistant told her as she left. Sam made her way into the office and slumped down onto the cot she had set up there when she realised she would be pulling yet another mammoth shift before everyone was identified and returned to their families. As she settled down, a knock came at the door. She groaned and sat up on the edge of the cot, seeing that it was a courier.

"I have a pa…"

"I haven't slept in 19 hours; just give me the clip board." She interrupted him abruptly, taking it from him. She signed it and handed it back, at which the courier handed her the package and left, muttering something under his breath about his moody customer. Sam looked at the sender's address, finding it curious. It was sent from a private box, and the sender was listed only as "a friend". Opening it, she found a diary, an energy cell from a blaster, and a white rose.

She set the energy cell and the white rose aside, and began reading the diary, but quickly found herself stopping as she realised that it belonged to Marcus.

"Who sent this?" She asked herself. "What does it mean?"

Dr. K rose from her bed as the door to her cell opened. Gates walked in with a huge grin on his face.

"What do you want now?" She asked him.

"I just thought you might like to know how the funeral went." He replied, uploading a disk into the computer. Dr. K watched as she saw the service being played. "It was on all the channels. Everyone was there; I think this might easily have been his finest hour."

She reached out, her fingertips stroking the screen as she saw the coffin, draped with the flag being lowered into the grave. A tear ran down her face as the first volley of the 21 gun salute sounded.

"I thought you might also like to know that I got the job." He told her. "It's only temporary right now, but when Chas gets elected, he knows better than to name anyone but me the Colonel's permanent replacement. We've already had that little talk."

"The Rangers will figure it out eventually." She stated flatly. "There's no way they'll work for a blood-soaked maniac like you."

"They might, they might not. Since I have the power of the Project Strychnine rigs behind me, it doesn't matter." He responded with a shrug. "I passed a new law, one that requires all of Corinth's defences to be co-ordinated by the military. If the Rangers don't sign up and submit themselves to my orders, they will have to turn in their morphers or I'll have them arrested for treason."

"They'll fight you!" She shrieked. "There's no way you'll get away with this!"

"Well if they do choose to fight, they'll have to face me and my operatives." He reminded her. "Not to mention they'll have to face the military. I'm sure they won't want to hurt the very people they try so hard to protect."

He turned off the computer, before beginning to walk away.

"Of course, you made all this possible, so just like I promised, your secret will never leave this room." He stated, making his way to the door. "Of course neither will you. I have no further need for you. Enjoy your home."

The door slammed shut with an ominous finality. Dr. K felt her heart racing in panic as she realised her predicament. No one knew where she was; even she had been blindfolded when she was brought here. There was no way for anyone to find her. The lights went out, plunging the room into darkness and all the screens went dead. He had shut off the power. She grabbed a tool from the bench and started feverishly trying to force open the shackle on her ankle in a futile manner as her tears ran more freely. No one was coming for her, if she couldn't get out on her own, then this would be where she would die, in a grey subterranean lab, much like she had spent most of her life.

Back at the Garage the Rangers, all except for Summer who had once again retreated to Dillon's chamber were sitting around considering their options. None of them really wanted to give control of their operations to the military, least of all because Gates was now in charge.

"I'm just playing devil's advocate here, but maybe this isn't such a bad move." Ziggy suggested nervously. "Just in the short term, I mean we are a bit under strength right now. Dillon's down and Summer's..."

His words tailed off at this point. He didn't want to say it, but they both knew what he meant. They knew she would be there for them as much as she could, but she wasn't exactly in the best position to help out. She was already pretty close to breaking point, and the extra strain of battle would not help matters.

"If we don't do it, we'll be arrested for treason." Flynn reminded him. "I don't know about you, but I'm not looking forward to the prospect of spending the rest of my life in one of those tracking collars. You remember Summer telling us what it was like in there right?"

"If this was what dad and Dr. K wanted, they would have started the program under the military in the first place." Scott told him. "They believed we'd operate more effectively as an independent body. I trust her judgement."

"We all do, but she isn't here." Flynn reminded him. "I'm not happy about this either, but if we don't we'll be fugitives. Every soldier in the city will be duty bound to try and arrest us, and I don't know about you, but I don't want to fight innocent people."

"I definitely don't want to face those Project Strychnine guys." Ziggy added. "In case you hadn't noticed, they're pretty tough."

"I know, but this is what dad would have wanted." Scott told them flatly. "You can do what you want, but I for one will not serve under Gates. I don't trust him."

"I don't either." Summer told them, making her way slowly back into the room, red streaks running down her face. "I can't serve under him, and I can't hand in my morpher."

"If that's the way things have to be." Flynn sighed, standing up. "It wouldn't be the first time I've gotten into trouble trying to be a superhero."

"I guess I'm in too." Ziggy replied, getting up and putting a hand in. "If we do this, we're in for all kinds of trouble, but I don't care. We're the Rangers, and that's the way it's going to stay."

Dr. K was frantically trying to open the shackle to release herself as tears streamed down her face. The desperation of her situation became even more obvious as the tool in her hand snapped. The shackle was barely damaged at all, maybe a couple of scratches but that was all.

She grabbed it and started working it with her hands frantically, as though somehow hoping she would suddenly gain some measure of superhuman strength. Although she knew it was an exercise in futility, she worked until her fingers were red raw and starting to bleed. When she could no longer stand the pain in her fingers, she finally gave up.

She retreated to the corner of the room and held the blanket from the bed tightly as despair overtook her and she prepared to accept her fate. She wept loudly as she realised she would never see the Rangers or anyone else again. She would never see Scott again. She would never get a chance to be near him, to tell him what he meant to her.

Just as she started to whisper her goodbyes, awaiting the long, drawn out death that awaited her in that cell, the door was blasted from its hinges. She shielded her face as the dust settled. The twisted, mangled door lay on the floor a little way from her. Looking up into the hall, she could see the outline of a man approaching. She squinted to get a better look. She couldn't believe her eyes as he came close enough for her to see him.

"Colonel Truman?" She asked in a disbelieving gasp. The Colonel fired a round from his blaster, breaking the chain, before putting it back into his holster and helping her to her feet.

"In the words of Mark Twain, rumours of my demise were greatly exaggerated." He told her.


	33. The Colonel Returns

The Rangers were all preparing for the inevitable battles ahead. They knew that by defying Gates, they would be forced to go up against everything the military of Corinth had to throw at them. Flynn and Ziggy were busy working on the lockdown system Dr. K had set up in case of an all-out assault on the base. The Garage was a virtual fortress at the best of times, having been tested as capable of withstanding blasts from pretty much anything short of the Zords, but once the lockdown codes were entered, it would be virtually impenetrable.

Flynn flipped out his cell phone, dialling Sam. He knew she was still at the lab, but he also knew that if they went through with their decision to defy the military, there was a chance there would be repercussions for their loved ones. Ziggy knew that it was unlikely anyone knew about the connection between him and Ms. Foster's orphanage, so calling her would only risk alerting the authorities to it. It was just as well, since it was unlikely they would be able to support themselves AND all the kids at the orphanage. Summer was calling her parents to tell them to pack their bags and head for the Garage as well.

"Sam, it's me darlin', listen, I need you to come to the Garage." He rushed out. "I know you have a lot of work..."

"Flynn, I can't explain, please just come and pick me up." She rushed out in a panicked voice as she started gathering some things together. "I've found something important; I need to get out of here..."

Her voice was cut off and he heard an alarm screeching in the background.

"Shit! Someone's got my computer tapped!" She screamed. "Flynn, security's coming to arrest me; I need to get out of here!"

"Sam, I'm coming!" He called out as he heard some crashes. "Just hang on!"

He threw on his jacket, before sprinting to his Hummer.

"Flynn, where are you going?" Scott asked him.

"Sam's in trouble!" He called back. "It looks like this is starting a lot sooner than we thought."

As the doors opened, Flynn gunned the engine, blasting out of the Garage towards the Central Command building. Sam was in trouble, and he was possibly her only hope.

Meanwhile at the central command building, Sam was busy downloading her research to a disk. She had read the diary that she had been sent, and from that had figured out that the rose and the energy cell were clues. All she needed to do was a little research before she managed to put together a paper trail that connected all of the recent events together. However, now she realised exactly how dangerous that knowledge was. All the evidence pointed to Gates, and he was now the head of the military.

As she completed the download, she heard the siren of the building's intruder alarm, indicating that the threat level of the breach had been raised. The guards were now entitled to use deadly force if she didn't go quietly. She looked down in horror as her computer screen showed a flag. Someone had tapped her computer and could see what she had been researching. As the files started deleting, she realised it had to be Gates. The guards would soon be coming for her; they knew exactly who had caused the security breach, and where she could be found.

As a guard came into her office, she grabbed her walking stick, smashing it over her his head, before shoving him out the door. She slammed the door closed, before jamming it in place with her walking stick. Hobbling over to her desk, she pulled out her blaster and set it to a stun setting. She didn't want to hurt anyone, but she knew that they would be under orders to take her into custody. As she took cover in the corner, she heard a commotion outside, before the door flew off its hinges. She fired a blast, narrowly missing the man who came in.

"Don't shoot! It's me!" Hicks yelled as he covered the door. "Come with me!"

"Aren't you with the Scorpion Cartel now?" She asked him. "Why should I trust you?"

"I'm probably your only chance of getting out of here." He told her. "Come on!"

Sam still wasn't sure she could trust him, but considering she still wasn't fully recovered from her spinal injury, she knew it was unlikely she would be able to fight her way out by herself. Hicks helped her back to her feet and guided her through the door. She looked around at the lab, seeing a number of stunned guards littering the floor. Clearly Hicks had gotten the drop on them. As they raced to the door, more guards filed down the corridors.

"Look, she's with that traitor Hicks!" One of them yelled. "Get them!"

They made their way towards the door amid a storm of laser blasts, finally making their way to the entrance lobby. Hicks sealed the door, trapping the guards behind them, but as they turned around, they saw that there were a dozen guards waiting there, their weapons trained on them.

"Drop your weapons and get on the ground!" One of them screamed. "Do it now or we'll fire!"

Sam and Hicks looked at each other, before getting down on the ground.

"Hands on your heads!" The guard screamed. As they did so, Sam saw their salvation in the form of Flynn's hummer through the glass doors. He drove straight through, showering the lobby in glass. Sam and Hicks protected themselves as much as they could from the glass, while Flynn got out, quickly taking down the few remaining guards that were a threat.

"What's he doing here?" Flynn asked as he saw Hicks helping her up.

"He's here to help." Sam assured him. "Come on, let's go!"

As they got into the Hummer, Flynn looked up to the balcony, seeing Mandrake standing there. He pulled a pair of large laser pistol out of his shoulder harness.

"Hicks, you drive." He told the former soldier, getting into the back and hanging out the window. He morphed into his Ranger form. "I'll deal with the shooting."

Back at the Garage, the Rangers stared at the door suspiciously as it flew open without anyone activating the security system. A car flew into the Garage, threatening to take Scott out. He reached for Dr. K's sonic blaster, aiming it at the car.

"It's me!" Dr. K called out as he stepped out of the driver's seat. "Don't shoot!"

Summer and Ziggy stared at her as Scott just put the blaster down.

"Dr. K?" Summer asked him.

Her words tailed off and all of the other Rangers stood, dumbstruck as they watched Colonel Truman getting out of the back seat. Ziggy held Summer up as she seemed about to pass out.

"Well I'm glad I don't have to pretend anymore." Scott stated as he approached his father, throwing his arm around him for a hug.

"Hey, watch it!" Colonel Truman chuckled as he released him. "I did take a laser to the chest only three days ago!"

"Does someone want to tell us what's going on?" Ziggy asked as he looked around at the bizarre scene. "We were told you were dead. We thought Hicks was fired..."

"That was all part of the plan." Colonel Truman told them. "When I heard the flight recording, I knew that something was fishy. I knew that Dr. K would have had it brought straight over unless something was amiss, so when I heard Marcus saying on the recording that our lives were in danger, I decided to have another look at Marcus' personal effects."

"I remembered that when we were kids Marcus always used to hide his diary, so when we realised it wasn't with his other possessions, I searched his old locker. Eventually I found he had made a hidden compartment in the base where he hid it. Marcus found out that Gates was the leader of The White Rose. He was going to tell dad when Venjix attacked."

"It was then that I suspected that Dr. K was investigating Marcus' death and that she was taken because she suspected something was amiss."

"We suspected Gates was behind everything that had happened, but we weren't sure, so we came up with an idea." Scott told them with a smile on his face. "We made him think he got what he wanted."

"We figured that if he thought he was winning, he'd show us his hand." Colonel Truman confirmed. "Now we know what he was up to. He wanted to seize control of Corinth."

"You mean you knew your dad was alive the whole time?" Summer screamed at Scott, shaking in her anger. She glared between both of them hatefully. "You watched me going through all that when you could just have told me he was alright?"

"Summer, there were lives at stake; we had to be sure no one suspected it was a ruse." Colonel Truman told her. "We needed everyone would react realistically and..."

His words were cut off as she punched him as hard as she could in the face before running from the room. Ziggy rounded on him.

"You know what this has been doing to her." He said coldly. "She's meant to be your friend. How could you put her through this?"

"We didn't want to; we care about Summer, but Hicks..."

"What the hell does this have to do with Hicks?" Ziggy asked him angrily.

"Hicks was in on it too." Colonel Truman replied. "We knew that the first thing he'd do was get rid of anyone that could be a threat to him. That's why I made him responsible for the security arrangements. I knew that Gates would take any excuse to fire him. When we saw that the Cartels were involved, I told Hicks to infiltrate the Cartels to see what he could find out. Gates sold both sides their weapons and told them that they were planning to take their territory. It was all a smokescreen to cover the assassination."

"Gates kidnapped me when I confirmed my suspicions at the site of the crash." Dr. K began. "He forced me to make the Project Strychnine rigs as a way to combat the Ranger technology if he had to. He took me to a rooftop near the plaza so that I could watch the Mandrake rig take the shot that killed the Colonel. Then he took me back to his bunker and left me there to die."

"You're safe now." Scott assured her, putting an arm around her. Dr. K smiled a little, feeling the warm comfort of the gesture. "Now what are we up against?"

"I'll run up full schematics shortly." She told him, making her way to her lab. Just then, they heard a buzzing coming from outside.

"Let me in, please I beg you!" Chas screamed through the intercom. Scott activated the doors, letting him in. They could see that he had brought Brie and his parents with him. "Gates is insane, you need to stop him!"

"We're just figuring that out." Colonel Truman announced. The Winchesters stood, frozen to the spot by their shock at seeing him return from the grave. "What do you know about this Chas?"

"I'll explain everything, I promise." He told them. "Right now, all I can tell you is that he's threatened to kill everyone I care about if he doesn't get what he wants. He told me that if I told anyone he'd kill them, but I can't let him get what he wants. I figured that you were my only hope."

"You can tell us later." Colonel Truman replied as he heard gunfire from down the street. "Right now it sounds like our co-conspirator is on his way."

"That would be an affirmative sir!" Hick's voice called over the intercom. "I've picked up Sam and Flynn, but we're taking some pretty heavy fire here."

"Who's after you?" Colonel Truman asked him.

"Everyone!" Flynn called out as his Nitro Blaster fired back. "We've got about three truckloads of troops and that Mandrake guy from the other day after us!"

"What's your ETA?" Truman asked him.

"About three minutes!" Hicks answered.

"We can already hear you!" Ziggy responded.

"They're throwing so much firepower at us that I'm not surprised." Hicks told him as a blast shook the vehicle. "Damn it Flynn, could you have chosen a slower car?"

"If it wasn't for this car we'd have been a smoking pile of scrap by now!" He responded. "I'm trying to concentrate my firepower on Mandrake, but he moves like a jackrabbit! He's running faster than..."

"This thing drives?" Hicks suggested.

"Stop slagging off my car!" Flynn snarled.

"Would you two knock it off?" Sam screamed, grabbing a blaster and leaning out the other window, beginning to fire. "We need to stay on top of things here!"

"You had to say it, didn't you love?" Flynn replied as Mandrake leapt into the air. He pulled himself onto the roof of his hummer to intercept him as he leapt onto it. The impact sent Flynn onto the hood. Only grabbing the bull bars saved him from flying off completely.

"Are you alright?" Sam asked him.

"I'm just fine sweet heart!" He replied, getting back to his feet and activating his time manipulation burst, taking the opportunity to knock the warrior from his vehicle. He bounced off the windshield of the lead truck, causing it to swerve dangerously. The two trucks following it collided with it, causing all three to lose control completely and wipe out on the freeway. Flynn breathed a small sigh of relief as he saw that they hadn't exploded and soldiers were beginning to evacuate. "Just make sure they have the doors open. I doubt we'll have much time for a slow stop."

Back at the Garage, Summer returned to the room, morphing with the others as they prepared for their friends to arrive. They pulled out their Nitro Blasters, preparing to cover Flynn's escape. Colonel Truman picked up a blaster and made his way over to help them.

"Summer, for what it's worth, I really am sorry." He told her.

"With all due respect sir," she replied coldly, "we have more important things to worry about."

Chas came to Colonel Truman's side, picking up another blaster.

"I'll help." He told him.

"Are you sure?" Colonel Truman asked him. "You're in admin; you don't exactly see much combat."

"It's been a while, but I can remember which end to point." Chas replied. "I want to help."

Meanwhile, the others were sealed in Dr K's lab, comforting each other in their time of need. Dr. K was feverishly working away on her computer.

"What are you doing?" Mrs. Landsdown asked her.

"While I was being held captive, I managed to steal the motherboard to the weapon which afflicted Ranger Series Black." She began. "I'm currently trying to write a counter programme that will allow us to release him from stasis. We're going to need all the help we can get."

She worked through the programme as quickly as she could, ignoring the pain in her fingers. So much of this was her doing that she was desperate to give at least something back to the Rangers. She let out a small yelp as she completed the programme.

"Beginning the download!" She yelled, hitting the command.

"How long will it take?" Mr Landsdown asked her.

"I should be able to release him from stasis within 60 minutes." Dr. K told him.

Back on the road, Flynn climbed back into the vehicle as they rounded the corner onto the street the Garage was on. Hicks floored the accelerator as they lined up with the door.

"Guys, we have company again!" Sam yelled as Mandrake sprinted around the corner, still following at an impossible pace, and with no sign of tiring. Sam fired a couple of blasts, but he seemed to be able to avoid them as he approached.

"They're coming!" Scott shouted, causing them all to take aim. "They have a tail, everyone be careful, but try to get him off them."

They all began firing, narrowly missing the hummer. Mandrake ducked behind the vehicle, while maintaining pursuit in order to avoid the volley. As the hummer flew into the Garage, skidding to a halt, Flynn got out and called forth the Turbo Cannon.

"Close the gate!" Scott ordered as they opened fire, scoring a couple of minor hits, though nothing that stopped the relentless automaton. As the doors almost finished closing, a pair of black hands appeared at the edges, halting them. The mechanism screeched and struggled against his inhuman strength. Mandrake began forcing the doors open again. Flynn rushed forward, pointing the Turbo Cannon directly at his chest.

"Dodge this!" He yelled, opening fire. The blast connected with his chest, sending the warrior flying across the street, slamming into the wall of the building opposite and going straight through it. The Rangers finished closing the doors and sealed them, completing the lockdown procedure.

"We should be safe for now." Scott told them. "Are all of you alright?"

"I'm fine." Sam said quietly, looking over and seeing Colonel Truman. Her confusion was obvious.

"It's a long story." He replied. "One I promise I'll tell you all about later. Did you get the clues I sent you?"

"I did." She replied, handing him a disk. "I've managed to put together an impressive little paper trail. Gates isn't as clean as he thought."

"I knew if anyone could put it together it would be you." Colonel Truman said with a smile. "Now we have the proof, all we have to do is bring down Gates."

"That'll be easier said than done. We still have no way of getting the message out, so we're still pretty much fighting everybody." Flynn responded, looking over the twisted, dented and scorched bodywork of his hummer. It had indeed saved their lives, but it was obvious it was going to take more than a polish and wax to return it to its original state. "I don't suppose the military will cover this will they?"

"I promise we'll pay every penny once Gates goes down." Colonel Truman assured him. "Now, all we can do is get ready. Since we are officially the last obstacle to him seizing control, I think it's pretty fair to assume he'll come to us."

"Well we're all ready to fight." Hicks said in response. He gestured to his suit and smiled. "Requesting permission to change back into uniform sir."

"Permission granted Corporal Hicks." Truman replied. "You've earned it."

Meanwhile, outside, Mandrake pulled himself from the rubble and stepped out onto the street. He was covered in dust, and he had blood trickling down his face from his ears and a cut above his eyebrow. If he had been a mere human, the blast would have been instantly fatal, though the cybernetics in his suit performed a scan and showed him to be merely down to 65 percent efficiency. His comm. Link sprang into life.

"Mandrake, did you apprehend the fugitives?" Gates asked him.

"Negative." The warrior replied, surveying the walls to the Garage. His scan showed that nothing in his personal arsenal would even come close to penetrating the fortress Dr. K had turned it into.

"Did they get back to their headquarters?" He asked.

"Affirmative." Mandrake replied as he took a seat on some rubble and pulling out a small medical kit, beginning to affect some repairs on himself.

"Wait there, Nightshade and I will come." He told his mindless killing machine. "I'll bring some soldiers. It looks like we have a siege on our hands."

"Affirmative." Mandrake replied.


	34. Under Siege

The Rangers sat in a circle in the main room of the Garage along with their civilian allies, though Summer was noticeably absent. The pounding sound of blasts hitting the walls outside could be heard, though they knew that Mandrake had nothing that would have a chance of penetrating their defences. Dr. K started the briefing.

"I think you should know what you're up against." She said quietly as she started up the screen. "Project Strychnine was an early version of the Ranger suits that you use now. It's a biotech hardware that accentuates the human body's natural reaction time, speed, strength, resilience..."

"Doc, they're tough, we know that already." Flynn interrupted her, flicking a hand towards his damaged hummer. "He did that to my car, what can you tell us that's useful?"

"Project Strychnine was scrapped while I was still at Alphabet Soup because it was deemed too dangerous." She told them. "The suits are bound into their DNA like yours, but there are numerous genetic, biological and mechanical upgrades that interact to make them far more effective." She explained. She looked down at her feet regretfully. "The suits are permanently sealed to them. They can't be de-activated or removed, and individually, they are more powerful than the Ranger rigs."

"So they'll be a tough fight." Scott commented. "We've faced tough fights before. What we need to know is what, if anything, we can do against them."

"The Mandrake unit is geared towards ballistic warfare." She told them, bringing up a file on the Mandrake rig. Flynn studied him with a mixture of interest and anger. He had tried to kill him and the woman he loved. He wanted to know what he could do to bring him down. "He was the one that fired the shot against Colonel Truman. His eyesight has been adjusted so he can view a shot up to four miles with pinpoint accuracy. He can also see in night vision and heat vision. He can pinpoint an area on the human anatomy a micrometer across with 100 percent accuracy."

"So he's a good shot." Flynn snorted. "I'll take him."

"The Nightshade unit is geared towards stealth." She continued, looking around the room. "The suit itself can shift shape to mimic any kind of clothing, size or build. That's how she was able to disguise herself to attack R...Dillon." She told them, bringing up a file on the female operative. "She also has a chemical within her skin that can shift colour to bend light. She can move with stealth, limiting visibility to almost nothing. She is also highly adept in the use of bladed weapons with an expert knowledge of human anatomy."

Dr. K shifted uneasily as she prepared to say what she had to. They were innocent, much like she had been as a child when she was snatched off the streets by the government as a mere child, but she knew there was no other option.

"They have been completely brainwashed. Their minds, their memories, everything have been completely re-written." She explained. "They know nothing other than their function and Gates' orders. They are no longer human, they're mindless automatons. Even if they were captured, there is no way to reverse what's been done to them. They're essentially dead anyway. We have no other option, they must be destroyed."

"But..."

"Ziggy, there isn't any other way!" She interrupted him, pre-empting his protest. "They can never be returned to their original state!"

"What about Gates?" Scott asked her. Dr. K flipped the screen to his profile.

"He still has his mind, though he has vastly increased physical abilities." She told them. "He sealed himself into the most powerful and dangerous rig, the Strychnine rig."

"What can he do?" Scott asked her. Dr. K sighed as she thought about it. She didn't want to provide him with that power, but at the time she had no other option. She couldn't escape him.

"It increases his strength, speed and reaction time exponentially." She explained. "It also gives him muscle-training in a number of martial arts techniques, making him an equivalent of a black belt in Karate, Judo, Tar Kwon-do, Aikido, Escrima, Kendo, Wushu, and Ninjitsu. He is virtually unbeatable in physical combat."

"Well I guess we're going to test that theory out." Scott replied.

"We have a while before he arrives." Colonel Truman told them. "I have something I need to take care of."

With that, he got up and left the room, heading towards the stasis chamber. They knew that he was going to talk to Summer. His deception had hurt her deeply, and if this was to be their final stand, he wanted to make amends.

Summer sat in the room, looking down at the pod, tears running down her face as she looked at Dillon's unmoving, lifeless face through the glass. She reached out her hand, stroking it longingly.

"I need you Dillon." She whimpered. "I can't cope with this by myself."

"You never did give yourself enough credit." Colonel Truman said as he arrived. Summer just turned from him. He knew he had hurt her with his ploy, making her believe she had lost him, but he had no idea exactly how much he had hurt her. "Summer, I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Fine, you've said it." She replied sharply.

"Summer, I know I've hurt you." He told her. "I never wanted to..."

"I thought I'd lost you!" She screamed, rounding on him. "I've been losing everything! I was about three seconds away from losing it completely!"

"Summer, I never would have done it if it wasn't necessary." He told her. "The last thing I'd ever want to do to you is hurt you."

"I thought I was losing everything that mattered to me." She muttered, looking back to Dillon's stasis pod. "You know how much you mean to me."

"Summer, I protected you before, you know I'd never hurt you intentionally." He replied as he approached her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You're like a daughter to me."

"Then why did you let me think I'd lost you?" She asked him. "I needed you."

"If I could have done things any other way I would have." He told her with a note of sadness in his voice. "I never wanted to hurt you, but I knew the only way Gates would make his move is if he thought he had succeeded in having me killed."

"I was so close to losing it completely." She admitted as she wiped her eyes. "I was no use to anybody..."

"Summer, I'm sorry." He repeated, pulling her into his chest as she wept. He hugged her warmly as she let out her frustration and pain. "I'm sorry."

Meanwhile, Dr. K was busy working on something on her computer. Scott approached her, causing her to look up.

"What are you working on?" He asked her.

"I was trying to see if there was some way to shut down their weapons remotely." She told him. "Unfortunately there's no way I can do that without the use of an EMP."

"That would shut down the Ranger suits." He surmised. Dr. K nodded. "So we have to face them head-on."

"It looks like that's the case." She responded. Scott placed his hand on her shoulder, sending a warm sensation through her. She felt her heart beating faster.

"So it looks like we have a fight on our hands." He replied. "You haven't told us what he did to you."

"He did not mistreat me Scott." She replied, trying not to look at him. It was hard enough to talk to him. "Until he left me for dead, I was well taken care of."

"You don't have to sugar-coat it." Scott assured her. "I know you'd never have created those Project Strychnine rigs unless he forced you to. I can't imagine what a sicko like him did to you."

"I'm fine." She reiterated in a whisper. She hated the fact that she had been forced to make those suits, but she had no choice. She knew that Gates would have told everyone what she had done.

Outside, several APC's arrived, and troops disembarked, surrounding the Garage. Gates and Nightshade got out of one, coming over to where Mandrake was watching the building as he tended to the injuries he sustained in his earlier battle.

"They are still inside?" He asked as he arrived.

"Affirmative." Mandrake replied.

"Well they've decided where they'll die then." He responded. "We go in on my orders."

Back inside, Chas was getting ready for battle, strapping on body armour and checking his weapons when Brie came in.

"Chas, what are you doing?" She asked him, stroking his shoulders.

"This is my fault Brie." He answered as he checked the power cell in his blaster. "I went along with Gates' plan. I owe it to the city to fight."

"But you're in admin!" She reminded him, hugging him warmly.

"I'm a soldier first and foremost." He told her, sliding a knife into his boot. "I might have avoided fighting on the front line before, but that's what I'm paid for."

"Chas, I can't risk losing you." She implored him. "We're both grown up enough to know that we're being pushed into this wedding, but I love you."

Chas felt guilty as she said this. He hadn't gotten engaged to her because he loved her, much like his wedding to Summer his parents arranged it. After he had been dumped at the altar, they had been so embarrassed that they had arranged a wedding to the next most eligible socialite to save face. The fact that Brie wasn't bright enough to realise that, or to dump him was a bonus, at least this wedding would go ahead. He hated the fact that he was being forced to use her like that. His dad was desperate for Chas to have a child to be the heir to his legacy before he died, but it didn't sit right with Chas.

"Brie, I know you love me." He replied.

"Then leave this to the Rangers." She begged him, hugging him tightly.

"If Gates wins, we may as well be dead anyway." He told her. "Once I gave him the position, how long do you really think it would be before he had me killed too? He needs to be stopped."

He looked into her eyes, feeling everything she did. He knew her life was in danger. Gates had told him that himself. When he found out just how far Gates had gone to achieve his goals, he was more than willing to give his life to stop him. Of course that wasn't in his plans. He remembered the fear in her eyes as Mandrake had threatened to gouge them out with his letter opener. His heart had frozen when he thought she would be killed because of him.

"But the Rangers..."

"Have to face everyone." He reminded her. "They can use all the help they can get."

Brie nodded in understanding, before grabbing the sword he was awarded with his medal. She handed it to him.

"Just try to be careful." She told him. He looked down at her as she approached her, taking the sword. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He hadn't gotten together with her out of love, their relationship began as a salve to his bruised ego, but he now realised that he had grown to care for her. He leant in, kissing her passionately.

"You've never kissed me like that before." She commented. Chas smiled.

"If I make it through this, I promise I'll kiss you like that from now on." He promised her as he strapped on his sword.

"That sounds good to me." She replied. "I love you."

Chas smiled as he felt in his heart that for the first time he wouldn't just be saying the words, he'd actually mean them.

"I love you too." He replied. With that, he made his way back into the main Garage, where Colonel Truman, Corporal Hicks and the Rangers were assembling.

"Are we all ready for this?" Colonel Truman asked them. They all nodded in response. "Remember, Gates is the enemy, he and his two henchmen are the ones we're after. The soldiers don't know what he's done, they're innocent so set your weapons to stun and don't use lethal force unless you absolutely have to."

"We'll remember that." Chas responded, setting a pair of laser pistols to stun.

"We need to expose Gates." Colonel Truman told them. "We're going to upload all the evidence Sam gathered into the city-wide emergency broadcast system. That way, every TV and radio in Corinth will broadcast it. That should get the military off our backs."

"Dad, there is one problem." Scott responded, raising his hand. "We can't hack the emergency broadcast system from here. It's a secure server."

"That's right." He continued. "That's why we're going to central command to upload it directly."

"Wait; hold on, we're going to Central Command?" Flynn asked him. "In case you hadn't noticed, every soldier in Corinth is on their way to park on our doorstep."

"That's why we have to fight our way out." Colonel Truman responded, picking up his blaster. "We'll need to borrow one of the APC's. Seeing the state of Flynn's car, I think we'll need something a little more solid."

"That sounds like my department." Ziggy replied. "I can teleport inside one of the APCs. I should be able to clear it out."

"Right, once you have, let us know." Colonel Truman stated. "After that, we'll come out. If we move fast, we'll get to the transport before they manage to get to us."

"Sam and Tenaya will seal the others in my lab." Dr. K told them as she came into the room, preparing her sonic blaster. "They'll keep the Landsdowns and the Winchesters safe."

"Dr. K where do you think you're going?" Scott asked her.

"I'm going with you." She replied matter-of-factly. "I'll upload the disk..."

"Dr. K this is going to be dangerous." He told her. "You should leave it to us."

"Would you know what to do if you hit a fire-wall while trying to upload the footage?" She asked him. He looked around at the others who just shrugged. "I'll go with you."

"Fine, but keep your head down." He responded.

In the lab, Sam was busy checking her blaster as Tenaya came to her side.

"You are a medical professional aren't you?" She asked.

"I'm a forensic scientist." She replied. "I have some idea of medicine, why?"

"I think there is something wrong with me." She replied. "My chest feels tight; I find it hard to breathe, though it isn't uncomfortable or life-threatening. My heart is beating faster and my mouth is dry..."

"You're afraid." Sam told her, turning towards her. "It's natural, we're all scared."

"I have faced these soldiers before and never felt this way." Tenaya responded. "Why am I scared now? I know I have a good chance of escaping and surviving."

"Perhaps you aren't worried for yourself." Sam suggested. "You have been around the Rangers for a while now; maybe you're starting to care for them."

Tenaya thought about that one for a second. She had to admit that she had spent a lot of time with Ziggy. She always felt disappointment when he left, and she hated the time they spent apart.

"You care for the Blue Ranger." Tenaya stated. "Are you scared for him?"

"I am." Sam replied. "I don't want him to get hurt, or worse. I just try to stay positive and hope that we both make it."

"I hope he makes it." Tenaya replied, before making her way over to the corner of the room, sitting and looking around the room. Sam just put her blaster away as she considered Tenaya's statement. A part of her was convinced that she wasn't talking about Flynn when she said that.

Dr. K was in the stasis room, doing a few last minute preparations as the progress bar on the computer indicated that it was almost time to release Dillon from stasis. Scott entered the room and put his hand on her shoulder causing her to jump.

"Sorry I scared you." He replied. "It'll be good to have the team back to full strength."

"We can use all the help we can get." She replied. "I'm sure Summer will be pleased."

"She has been through a lot." Scott conceded. "I just wish they could have more time to themselves. He's pretty much going to wake up straight into all hell breaking loose."

"Scott, there's something I need to tell you." She sighed, trying to pluck up the courage to continue. "I lied about my childhood."

"Excuse me?" He asked her. Dr. K looked into his eyes as she tried to continue.

"I wasn't 7 when I went to Alphabet Soup, I was 5." She admitted. "I didn't go voluntarily like I claimed. I was kidnapped."

"Wait, you were kidnapped?" Scott asked her. She nodded in response.

"It's the only memory I have of my life before Alphabet Soup. I was writing on the ground with some chalk. I was writing down all the equations that I kept seeing in my head. Some government officials saw the equations and took me away."

She felt her tears beginning as she remembered the way she had been enslaved by her own government.

"I don't remember my parents. I don't even remember if I had parents." She continued. "I don't even know my real name. K was just a designation I was given at Alphabet Soup."

"I had no idea." He whispered as he tried to comprehend what she had told him.

"They told us we were life-threateningly allergic to sunlight to prevent us from trying to run away." She told him. "One day I discovered it was a lie. I tried to escape..."

She broke down in tears as she recalled this. Scott came over to her, holding her.

"Gates was one of the men that ran Alphabet Soup." She told him. "He held me in a cell exactly like the one I had there."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" He asked her. "Why did you lie to me?"

"I've spent the majority of my life as a prisoner being forced to work against my will." She answered. "I didn't want you to think badly of me. I've been free for so long, and he brought me back! I thought I was going to die there!"

"Dr. K that will never happen." He told her bluntly. He released her a little, looking deeply into her eyes. "I promise you, I will never allow anyone to do that to you. You will ever be used like that again."

Just then, the alarm went off, indicating that the anti-virus programme had fully uploaded. Dr. K typed in the command to open the stasis pod. Dillon came to, rising slowly from the pod.

"Dr. K, I see you got back." He greeted her. "How long was I out?"

"About two weeks." She told him.

"Dillon, there's no time for long reunions." Scott told him. "Gates has turned the entire city against us. We have to fight our way to Central Command. Then we have to take on Gates and a couple of his henchmen."

"What?" He asked as he tried to make sense of what he had been told. "You people so need me. A guy takes a nap for two weeks and everything goes to hell."

With that, he hauled himself out of the pod and made his way into the main garage. Seeing him coming into the room, Summer's face lit up and she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him repeatedly.

"I could get used to waking up to that." He told her as she finally released him. "So what's Richie Rich doing here?"

"I'm here to help." Chas assured him. "I'll tell you everything if I survive."

"Right guys, this is it!" Scott announced as the Rangers morphed, ready for action. "Ziggy, this is your show. Good luck!"


	35. Assault on Central Command

**A/N: **Sorry about the delay, recent computer troubles meant I lost my work on this chapter and the next installment of "Normal Life", but I hope to get that out soon. Sorry for the delay.

Gates was waiting outside the Garage as the troops completely surrounded the base. Nightshade was sitting, sharpening her claw weapon while Mandrake was checking over the repairs he had affected on himself following the escape of the Blue Ranger. A tactics officer came over to Gates and saluted.

"What's the situation?" He asked the officer, casting a gaze over the building. He knew that it would be fortified, and he was more than aware of Dr. K's intelligence. He knew that simply blasting their way in would not be an option. He also knew that many of the men were not keen to go up against the Rangers. He couldn't blame them really, with the Ranger technology on their side; they had defeated everything Venjix had thrown at them. There was little the military could do to them that wouldn't place them all at considerable risk. At the moment, Gates was relying on the fact that the Rangers would not want to harm the soldiers, knowing that they were innocent.

"The building is fortified, way beyond anything we have at our disposal here." The tactics officer told him, showing him a handheld console, showing a scan of the building. "The surface itself is nearly a foot thick of titanium alloy. We have no idea what's underneath that. Not to mention the kind of security systems Dr. K's likely set up inside the building."

"She always was a smart one." Gates sighed, remembering his time back at Alphabet Soup. "Do we have anything at base which could punch through this?"

"The only ordinance we have that would blast through it any quicker would be too dangerous to use here." The tactical officer told him. "There are apartment blocks all around us. Anything that would do significant damage to the base would put all these civilians at risk."

"What would you recommend then?" Gates asked him. "Would you like us to let the Rangers, who have proven themselves traitors and are harbouring known criminals to escape? Should we just go home and leave them alone?"

"Sir, I would recommend that we use standard ordinance in a sustained, focused attack." He replied, a little wary of Gates' reaction to the news. He wouldn't have expected any commanding officer to be so intent as to risk such heavy handed tactics in such a densely populated area.

"So we drill slowly instead of punching straight through." Gates replied, considering his options. "How long can they hold up in there?"

"Our scans show that the building is not connected to the city's power grid, sustaining its own power banks." The tactical officer informed him. "We have no records to suggest they have food stockpiled…"

"They'll have food, Dr. K isn't that stupid." He responded, lighting up a cigar and taking a long drag. They could probably sit in there for years before being forced to come out, and this method is bound to take us years."

He considered his options for a while, watching the embers on the end of the cigar glowing for inspiration.

"Check their backgrounds." He told them. "Let's see if there's anyone we can exploit to get them out."

"Sir?" The tactical officer asked a little unsure. Thos didn't sound right. Was he seriously considering using a hostage to bait them out? "What are you planning?"

"I simply wonder if we can't get someone to talk to them and make them see the error of their ways." Gates assured him. "After all, I would have thought getting them to walk out would be preferable to trying to blast them out."

The tactical officer was a little uneasy about the request. Something didn't seem right about it. It felt like Gates was being less than honest about his motives for finding this information. He checked his computer, finding very little.

"The Yellow Ranger's parents live in an apartment building a short way from here." He informed his commanding officer. "The Blue Ranger only came to Corinth with his father. He runs an auto shop a few streets away."

"I want you to send half a dozen troops to each location and bring them here." He informed the tactical officer. As he went to comply with the request, Gates made a call back to central command.

"The fortifications here are a lot stronger than I would have thought." He told them. "Bring the heaviest ordinance you can lay your hands on. If they don't respond to the negotiations, I'm going to order an evacuation of the area. I don't plan on spending years digging them out."

Meanwhile, inside the Garage, the Rangers, along with Chas, Hicks and Colonel Truman were making their last minute preparations for the push to the base.

"OK Ziggy, you know what to do." Scott reminded him. Ziggy nodded in understanding, before morphing. Activating his teleportation system, he appeared in an alley, opposite the Garage and out of view of the soldiers who were too busy covering the base. He looked around, finding one of the APCs sitting idle nearby. He concentrated hard on the position of it, having a well-earned fear of the possible consequences of a botched teleportation as a result of Dr. K's briefings. Activating it, he appeared inside, finding only two troops inside.

The first realised what had happened and was about to sound the alarm, though Ziggy was too quick for him, connecting with a hard kick to his jaw and sending him to the floor. The other tried to draw a weapon, but found himself being thrown aside, his head bouncing off the armoured hull. Ziggy said a quick, wordless thank you for the enhanced strength provided by the suit.

"I've got the vehicle." He announced over his communicator.

"Well done Ziggy." Scott complimented him. "Dump the crew and bring it to the door. We'll provide suppressing fire to cover while we get on board."

Ziggy quickly checked the guards, before finding the keys hanging in the ignition. They hadn't banked on anyone trying to steal it, but then it was locked, and he doubted the military considered would-be thieves having the ability to literally appear inside the vehicle. He threw open the side door, throwing out the unconscious guards before shutting it again. He turned on the engine, causing a few soldiers to look round. Seeing their unconscious comrades, they could tell what was happening. They opened fire, their blasts splashing off the hull of the vehicle. Ziggy steered it trough the troops until he reached the door and brought it to a halt. The blast doors opened, and the Rangers and their allies sallied forth, laying down a curtain of fire.

"Push forward!" Gates roared, picking up a pistol. "Remember, lethal force is authorised!"

Colonel Truman rushed to the vehicle under covering fire, quickly making his way to the cockpit.

"Move over Ziggy, I'll drive." He instructed him. "You'll be more useful in a combat capacity."

"No problem sir." He replied, getting out the driver's seat and allowing the Colonel to strap himself in.

"This takes me back." He commented. "It almost reminds me of driving the Go-onger."

"The what?" Ziggy asked as Dr. K and Hicks entered the vehicle.

"Never mind." He replied. "How are the Rangers doing?"

"Things are going fine dad." Scott said as he got in.

"Good thing we have this." Flynn interjected as he got in. "It looks like their firing lethal rounds."

"Gates probably doesn't want to leave witnesses." Summer replied, firing her energy blast, sending a couple of APCs spinning off the road and clearing a path for them before getting in. Dillon followed immediately afterwards, closing the door behind him.

"They have very few weapons capable of piercing the armour on this vehicle. Any they do have would cause explosions which would kill or injure nearby troops." Dr. K told them. "They won't fire any of them while we're in the crowd, but once we're on the road that's a different matter."

"Tell me you have something in mind." Flynn begged her.

"I've set up a scrambling signal that will prevent them from locking on a targeting system." She informed him. "They'll still be able to fire manually; they just won't b able to use guidance systems."

"So what do we do about the manually fired missiles?" Scott asked her. Dr. K looked at him and responded a little too honestly given the situation.

"Hope they don't hit."

With that, Colonel Truman gunned the engine, blasting onto the road to Central Command.

Gates realised where they were heading and began barking orders. He pointed to a young sergeant.

"You, take over command here and continue to besiege the building." He ordered the young man. "You three units, come with me! They're heading for base!"

As Gates' jeep, carrying himself and his two cybernetic henchmen began pursuit, followed closely by three other vehicles, the rest of the soldiers continued their fire against the Garage, while the casualties injured in the Rangers' escape were retrieved. One of the soldiers was cradling his head in his hands as was approached by a medic.

"How are you son?" The medic asked him as he shone a torch into his eyes. "I saw you get hit from over there, that's one hell of a hit to the head you took."

"I know, I got turned inside out pretty good." He commented. "I must have had something shaken loose, because I could swear the guy that hit me was Colonel Truman."

On the road, Colonel Truman swerved this way and that to avoid explosions as he made his way to the Central Command building. Ziggy jumped as another explosion shook the vehicle.

"You have nothing to fear Ranger Seri…Ziggy. None of these blasts will cause significant enough damage to render the vehicle unable to operate." Dr. K reminded him. "Only a direct hit will stop us."

"That's kind of what I'm worried about." Ziggy told her.

"Don't be, I was running combat driving missions before any of you were born!" Colonel Truman assured him. "This takes me back."

"It appears as though the Mandrake unit has one missile." Dr. K stated, drawing their attention to a scanner. "With the accuracy of…"

"Hang on, I've got an idea." Dillon interrupted her. He made his way to the back of the transport, before gesturing everyone back.

"Everyone get as far back as you can!" He told them. With that, he opened the rear door to the vehicle.

"What are you doing?" Scott asked him. "We're taking fire."

"I've got an idea." He assured him. "I'm giving Mandrake an irresistible target."

Almost on cue, Mandrake fired his missile.

"You idiot, you've wasted your shot!" Gates screamed. "He…"

His words were cut off as Dillon powered up the invincibility shield. The missile detonated, shunting the vehicle forward violently, though with no significant damage. Gates and his cronies were not so lucky though. His jeep was thrown into the air by the explosion. The three villains leapt from the flaming wreckage as it spun out of control. The other transport vehicles skidded to a halt and broke off the pursuit as Gates and his cronies continued on foot, running at impossible speed.

"It looks like we've limited the field at least." Dillon stated as he closed the door behind him.

"That was a little close for comfort." Scott responded.

"Look, we knew that Mandrake would score a direct hit if he took that shot." Dillon told them. "Dr. K told me that the shield was impenetrable as long as we had faith in it."

Dr. K rolled her eyes as was expected of her, but got a little smile to herself as she heard this. Of all the Rangers, Dillon had taken the most convincing to accept her. It had taken a long time for him to show faith in her abilities, and now he had voiced his faith in her. She had already sworn to do everything she could to find a permanent solution to the virus growing through his body. Now she was even more determined to repay his faith in her, faith born from a lie, the fact he didn't know his condition was ultimately her fault to begin with.

"OK, so our main objective is to get Dr. K and dad to the emergency broadcast room." Scott reminded them. "Once they're there, Dr. K will upload the programme, and Dad will broadcast the message. Seeing his resurrection on every TV in Corinth should convince everyone."

"Guys, check this out!" Summer called out, drawing their attention to the scanners. They watched as Gates and his two accomplices ran past their vehicle. However, instead of trying to stop it, or to attack it, they continued onwards, leaving them behind.

"Why are they not attacking?" Scott asked.

"Their ordinance will not be able to stop us." Dr. K reminded him. "They're most likely going to co-ordinate the defence at Central Command."

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Dillon asked Colonel Truman. "We have to get there before they do. We were lucky with the rockets before, I doubt we'll be that lucky if we're driving TOWARDS them, we'll be sitting ducks!"

"This thing weighs 13 tons; I've got the hammer down as far as it'll go." Colonel Truman assured him. "We need to come up with another plan."

"What about my Time Manipulation Burst?" Flynn asked. "I've never tried it on anything as large as a whole vehicle before, but maybe that could give us the time we need to get through the barricade."

"It'll take a lot of energy, but it should work." Dr. K surmised.

"There's one problem Flynn, even if it works the guards won't be able to move." Scott reminded him. "We'd run right over them."

"I guess we need to clear a path then." Summer stated, calling forth the Zip Charger. "Dillon, open the door!"

Summer leant out the door, holding onto the frame. Dillon grabbed her harness, supporting her weight as she leant down towards the tarmac.

"Guys, the welcoming committee's up ahead." Scott told them. "And there are a lot of rockets there."

Summer struck the wheels of the Zip Charger against the hull of the transport, before dropping it onto the tarmac, sending it racing towards the roadblock. It rebounded around the troops with a non-lethal force, sending them flying in all directions.

"That should be enough of a path." She called out as Dillon pulled her back inside. "Flynn, do it NOW!"

He activated his suit's primary power, channelling more of his energies into it than he was used to. The APC hit the staircase, racing into the lobby of the Central Command building and skidding to a halt before time started back on track again.

"Lay down covering fire!" Hicks called out as he and Chas disembarked first, covering Dr. K as she ran for the security door. Colonel Truman left shortly behind her, firing a couple of shots.

"Make sure she gets to the console!" Chas called out to Summer as she and the team got out. "I'll take up the rear."

"Chas, come on!" She beckoned him. "You can't hold out against all of them!"

"Summer, you have a better chance of getting her there safely than I do!" He reminded her as they fell back under a hail of fire. Chas was hit in the right leg, causing him to fall to the floor. Dillon grabbed him and dragged him with them as they retreated through the security doors. Dr. K shut the door behind them, sealing it from the inside as Hicks and Flynn arrived at the rear.

"Chas, you need to wait here." Summer told him. He just shook his head and got back to his feet, limping after them.

"Summer, I owe this to all of you, especially to you." He told her.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Hicks asked him as they heard a patrol coming towards them. "There are still troops inside, and I doubt it'll take Gates and his friends long to get inside."

"I'm not dead yet." He responded, readying his blaster.

"Dr. K, this way!" Scott commanded as he and the Rangers took her and Dr. K up the stairwell. Hicks and Chas remained to guard the stairs as the patrol arrived.

"You know, I never thought I'd be fighting alongside you." Hicks told him.

"I've lived on my family name for so long." Chas replied as the first troops rounded the corner. "I guess it's time to work for a living."

On the stairs, a couple of troops were making their way down, before being dashed aside by Flynn.

"Dr. K, we're going to have to deal with this. Are you close enough now for Ziggy to get you there?"

"Ziggy's teleportation system should be within range of the emergency broadcasting terminal." She replied. Colonel Truman and Dr. K each grabbed one of his arms as he disappeared from view.

"OK guys, Ziggy will take care of them. It's up to us to give them the time they need." Scott continued, bringing out his Nitro Sword. "Let's buy them time!"

In the emergency broadcast room, Ziggy appeared with Dr. K and Colonel Truman, quickly making his way to the door and sealing it.

"Dr. K, how long until we upload the programme?" Colonel Truman asked her.

"We should be on the air in less than a minute." She replied as she began the upload. She noticed a monitor attached to the security relay, seeing an aircraft landing on the roof. She watched in horror as Gates, Mandrake and Nightshade disembarked. "Let's just hope we last that long."

Colonel Truman got on his radio to contact his son.

"Scott, you've got company on the roof!" He instructed him. "Gates has decided to crash the party."

"Guys, it looks like we get to find out how strong those rigs really are." Scott called out. "We have to stop them getting to the broadcast room."

"Just leave the broadcast to us." Dr. K told him, readying her sonic cannon. "Colonel Truman, you get ready for the broadcast. Ziggy, join the others in battle. They're going to need all the help they can get."


	36. Gates' Fall

Chas and Corporal Hicks were busy dispatching more guards as the Rangers and Dr. K continued on their mission. By now both of them were quickly finding themselves under pressure. Another blast sent debris flying from the corner Hicks was using for cover, causing a few minor cuts, though fortunately missing his eye.

"How are you holding up!" Chas called out.

"I'll live." Hicks told him, pulling out an energy cell and tossing it aside before slamming in another. "I'm down to my last power pack though."

"Same here." Chas replied, checking the shot counter. "I've got 23 rounds left."

"Well it looks like there are more troops on their way." Hicks replied as he started to look around, only to be forced back by another barrage. "It looks like we'll be out of ammo long before they're done."

"Dr. K how's that upload coming along?" Chas shouted down the comm.-link.

"It'll be complete in thirty seconds." She replied, covering the door with her sonic blaster. Suddenly, there was a huge pounding sound on the door and it started to flex inwards. "Rangers, I need your help, they're trying to get in. The download isn't yet complete!"

"We're on it Dr. K!" Scott responded. "We'll be there in seconds."

Hicks ducked away from another blast.

"What did the doc say?" He asked.

"Another 20 seconds!" Chas replied.

"Our ammo isn't going to last out." Hicks stated. "Even when the message goes out, only the people near a monitor or radio are going to hear. We're still going to have to fight."

"I guess we're in for a rough fight then." Chas told him, firing off another volley. He checked, seeing he now only had a dozen rounds left. As Hicks fired off another volley, a blast in return hit his blaster. The safety system bleeped loudly, warning him that the power cell was about to overheat. He threw the blaster away, saving his life as it exploded, but he was still caught in the blast. His charred, limp body slammed against the wall before falling to the ground. Chas could see that he was still breathing, but it was clear he was out of the fight.

Chas launched himself across the hallway to the other side, grabbing Hicks and dragging him out of harm's way as he fired off his last few rounds for cover. He checked over him, seeing that he was unconscious, though still alive. He drew his sword and breathed a sigh as he prepared to sell himself dearly.

"It looks like I didn't sign up for nothing." He sighed as he took a stun grenade from his belt. He threw it down the hall, causing a blinding flash that covered his charge as he threw himself headlong into the troops.

Meanwhile, outside the broadcast room, Mandrake and Nightshade were busy trying to knock the door down to get in. A blast narrowly missed them as a warning. As they turned around, they saw the Rangers standing behind them.

"Where's Gates?" Scott asked them. Nightshade pointed upwards in the direction of the roof.

"You go." Dillon instructed him. "We'll deal with the wonder twins. Summer and I have a score to settle with her."

Nightshade smirked as she recognised Dillon's voice.

"Fancy teaming up Ziggy?" Flynn asked him. "I have to have a little chat about my car with the walking artillery platform."

"Anything you say Flynn!" He replied. "I'll get us some room. Meet us downstairs!"

Ziggy lunged forward, distracting Mandrake with a swing of the Turbo Axe. As Mandrake ducked, Ziggy put his real plan into action, grabbing him and teleporting with him down into a larger office space. Flynn blasted a hole in the floor with his Nitro Blaster before leaping down to join them.

"Alone at last." Dillon stated as he and Summer prepared for battle. Nightshade pulled out a needle weapon and readied her claw, before launching herself at them.

Dr. K dropped her sonic blaster as she saw the progress bar hit 100 percent.

"Colonel, the upload's complete; we're ready for the broadcast." She told him, preparing a camera. "Are you ready?"

"Start the Cameras Dr. K." He replied, straightening his uniform. "It's time for my miracle resurrection."

Dr. K fired up the cameras, and hit the relay. At that moment, every television in Corinth turned to an image of Colonel Truman. A massive emergency broadcast screen outside the Central Command base showed his image. One by one, the soldiers started to notice and turned, viewing the screen in awe and wonder.

"Citizens of Corinth, do not adjust your sets, this is no trick." Colonel Truman began. "I come to you today with an important message."

Up on the roof, Gates watched the screen and roared in frustration as he watched the evidence of his crimes being broadcast to the entire colony.

"You're under arrest Gates!" He heard an electronic voice calling out as an aerial vehicle carrying troops to the roof came into view. "Put down your weapons and..."

Gates pulled out a powerful pistol and fired it, scoring a telling hit. The vehicle spun out of control and lurched towards the ground. Scott barged through the roof access door, causing him to turn around, pointing it at him.

"The game's over Gates!" He roared. "Everyone knows what you did! Give it up and come quietly."

"I can't do that Truman!" He snapped in response. "I've come too far to live beneath you and your god forsaken clan again! You and your family have held me down for too long!"

"You can't fight everyone Gates." He warned him. "Let it go."

"I can't fight everyone, but I can take you to hell with me." He replied. He threw his pistol over the edge. "I thought I'd take you down the old fashioned way."

With that, he drew a sword. Scott's blood boiled as he saw that it was the one that was awarded posthumously for his valour.

"It really is a beautiful blade, far too good to waste on a memorial." He told Scott as he called forth his Street Sabre. "Now I get to send you to meet your brother with his sword."

Down in the corridor, Chas fought as furiously as he could against the troops still surrounding him. Exhaustion was becoming a factor, and he was finding it almost impossible to avoid all the attacks. As he kneed one of the soldiers in the face, the butt of a rifle caught him on the side of the head, sending him to the floor. He reached for his sword, but one of the guards stood on his wrist, preventing him from retrieving it. A blaster was levelled at his head.

As Chas looked down the barrel, preparing to meet his end, the doors to the entrance lobby were finally breached, and the soldiers filed in from outside. To Chas' surprise, one of them fired a stun blast, knocking out the soldier about to shoot him.

"Put down your weapons!" Vasquez, the computer tech officer called out as the invading soldiers came in. "You've all been tricked. Gates is the real enemy!"

The soldiers surrounding Chas all looked around, confused by this statement. Vasquez held up a handheld computer, showing them Colonel Truman's announcement.

"Gates has played us all for fools!" She told them. She reached down, helping Chas to his feet. "The Rangers are fighting them as we speak."

"Those freaks are pretty strong. The Rangers could do with a hand." Chas told her.

"Sir, with all due respect..." Her words tailed off as she gestured to him. His clothing was dirty and blood-stained from numerous injuries. His body armour was scorched, and badly damaged, having done its job saving his skin more than once. Blood flowed down his face from a cut above his brow where he had been hit with the rifle.

"I'm still on my feet Vasquez." He said, limping towards the medical team who were checking on Hicks. "How are you down there?"

"I'm out of it." Hicks replied. "You did good Chas, for a stuck up egotistical airhead born with a silver spoon up his ass that is." Chas laughed.

"You did well too." He stated. "Now go and get some rest. You've earned it."

With that, the medical team took him away. Chas turned back to Vasquez.

"OK, we need to get up there and help the Rangers and Truman." He stated. "Who's the highest ranking officer still on their feet? We need some direction till we rendezvous with Truman."

"Well, the thing is an aerial craft crashed outside." Vasquez started to explain. "A lot of people were hurt..."

Chas just looked at her, hoping for an answer. Vasquez shifted a little uneasily before answering.

"Chas, it's you." She told him. Chas breathed a sigh, before gesturing for a soldier to hand him a loaded blaster.

"Follow me; we need to rendezvous with Colonel Truman!" He ordered them, gesturing to the stairs. "Use non-lethal ordinance only. We don't know how many troops in here still haven't heard the broadcast."

With that, they followed him as he limped up the stairs as fast as his legs would carry him.

Meanwhile, Flynn and Ziggy were busy battling with Mandrake. His blasters narrowly missed as Flynn and Ziggy returned fire.

"Ziggy, we need to take this guy out." Flynn yelled as they ducked for cover. Concrete flew in all directions. "Those blasters of his are tearing the place apart!"

"Flynn, we've thrown everything we have at him." Ziggy replied. "What else is there?"

"I think I have a plan." Flynn told him. "Take out the floor."

"What?" Ziggy asked him. "Are you serious? We're above the entrance lobby; it's like a 200 foot drop!"

"Trust me." Flynn replied. Ziggy powered up his Turbo Axe to full power and swung it at the floor, destroying it. All three fell towards the floor. Ziggy grabbed Flynn around the waist, as he caught an overhanging pipe.

"Ziggy, don't teleport us just yet." Flynn instructed him. He pulled out an engine cell, before calling forth his Zord. He threw the engine cell, causing it to solidify and grow to full size.

Mandrake hit the floor, and lay there unable to move because of the devastating damage. As he looked up, all he could see was the Lion Hauler falling straight towards him. He closed his eyes and prepared for the end.

Ziggy teleported with Flynn onto the balcony over the entrance hall, and looked at the scene of devastation in the ruined entrance hall.

"Dude, did you seriously just drop your Zord on him?" Ziggy asked in disbelief.

"Well it worked didn't it?" He replied with a shrug.

Summer and Dillon were locked in battle with Nightshade, trading vicious blows with her. Nightshade turned on Dillon and lunged at him, trying to stab him with the needle weapon.

"Not again!" Dillon called out, grabbing her wrist. He grabbed her hands with both of his own, holding her in place. Summer ducked underneath his arms, pressing herself to his body and her hands to Nightshade's chest.

"Are you ready Dillon?" She asked him.

"You know it Summer!" He replied as he prepared to power up his invincibility shield. Summer fired off her energy blast with all the power she could muster, as Dillon powered up his shield, protecting them from the worst of the damage. Dillon and Summer flew backwards several feet, landing in a heap on the floor and de-morphing, having depleted their energy. They looked up as the smoke cleared, seeing Nightshade standing there, a hole blasted straight through her chest. She fell to her knees before pitching forward lifelessly to the floor. Summer looked up, noticing she was still in Dillon's arms.

"I've missed this." She said breathlessly, laughing a little. Dillon tightened his grip on her, pulling her into a long, passionate kiss. As they finally parted, they realised Chas and the troops had arrived.

"Guys, there's a time and a place." Chas teased them, helping them up. The door to the emergency broadcast room opened, and Colonel Truman came out.

"Chas?" He asked him, noticing his appearance. "What the hell happened?"

"I discovered what it's like to work for a living." He replied. "I just came to rendezvous and hand back control of the regiment."

"Chas, maintain control here." He commanded him. "My son is battling Gates on the roof, and I want to be there to see him face justice for Marcus."

"Sorry sir, but I want to see this to the end." Chas told him. "I have my own issues with Gates. Vasquez, the regiment is yours. Sweep the building and make sure everyone knows what's happening."

"Are you sure you're up to it?" Colonel Truman asked him.

"I have your back sir." Chas replied as they both headed up to the roof.

Meanwhile, Scott was battling Gates ferociously on the roof. Gates kicked him away as he pulled his sword into view.

"You're no match for me, and neither was your brother!" He sneered as Scott struggled back to his feet.

"Marcus was a better man than you could ever be!" Scott replied, unleashing his burst attack. Gates flew towards the edge, though he stopped himself by ramming his sword into the concrete. He got back up as Scott retrieved his weapon. "You couldn't compete with him, that's why you murdered him! Dr. K..."

"Ah, the precious Dr. K, something tells me you wouldn't be so loyal to her if you knew the truth." He taunted him. "Back at Alphabet Soup, she created many powerful and deadly weapons. The deadliest of which was a computer virus that was too powerful even for her to control."

"You're lying!" Scott screamed at him. "She would never..."

"Have you never wondered how she knows so much about Venjix?" Gates interrupted him. "Did you never wonder how she knew the base codes? It's because she wrote them! The very woman you've pledged yourself to working for is the one responsible for everything. Dr. K created Venjix. Everything that happened is her fault."

Scott was stunned by the revelation. He didn't want to believe it, but everything Gates had said made sense. Gates took advantage of the momentary distraction by blindsiding him.

"Now I get to take out Truman's other son." He replied as he launched into a furious assault. Scott was quickly realising that Dr. K wasn't lying when she said that the Strychnine rigs were more powerful. Gates sent his Street Sabre over the edge of the roof, before slashing him across the chest, sending him to the ground in a shower of sparks.

"Leave my son alone!" Colonel Truman roared as he arrived. He drew his own sword, swinging it. It rebounded off Gates' own, before he was slashed across the side.

"Your time's up Gates." Chas told him as he joined the fight. Gates parried Chas' blows, but was unbalanced from the surprise assault. Scott rushed to his dad's side.

"Scott, I'll be fine." Colonel Truman told him, handing him the sword. "Chas is no match for him. You have to finish Gates."

As Gates kicked Chas aside dismissively, Scott rushed him, swinging the sword as hard as he could. With an ominous ring, Gates' sword smashed and Scott slammed into him. The momentum of the blow carried both of them over the edge. Scott was only just able to drive his sword into the concrete, holding them both precariously over the edge.

"Give it up Gates; you'll never survive this drop, not even with the suit." Scott warned him. "Give it up and live."

"I won't live under Truman's rule." He replied, bracing his feet against the wall and tightening his grip on Scott's wrist. "Now he gets to watch as I take his second son."

"NO!" Colonel Truman screamed as he rushed over, reaching over and grabbing Scott's other hand, holding him up with all his strength. Even with his additional strength, the sword holding them up started to slip, and Colonel Truman found himself being pulled further over the edge.

"Now I get to take you too Truman!" Gates said with an evil laugh. "I get to be the one that destroys the entire Truman legacy!"

Chas shook the cobwebs free and saw what was happening. He could see that there was no way for him to save all of them, and it seemed Gates was determined to take them with him. Grabbing up his sword, he rushed to the edge and swung it in a destructive arc with all the strength he could manage. Gates screamed as the sword came down, severing his arm completely, leaving him to plunge to his doom. Chas threw aside the sword and helped them back onto the roof.

"I can't believe he really hated us that much." Scott commented as he de-morphed, the battle finally over. "He was willing to die to destroy us."

"That's what hatred does to a man." Colonel Truman told him. "It dissolves reason."

Scott looked up at Chas and smiled, offering him a hand. Chas shook it.

"Thanks Chas." He said with a smile. "You really came through for us."

"I owe it to all of you." Chas told him. He looked down sadly at the broken sword. "Marcus' sword..."

"It's just a sword." Colonel Truman responded. "I thought Dr. K said the swords were unbreakable."

"Dr. K can make mistakes like anyone else." Scott muttered, thinking about Gates' revelation. "Maybe there was something wrong with the sword."

Chas looked at the inscription on the blade of his own sword and smiled.

"The oath." Chas told them. "He didn't use the sword to protect, he used it to destroy. He dishonoured the sword..."

"So it failed him in battle." Colonel Truman completed the legend. Chas turned his sword around, presenting the handle to Colonel Truman.

"I don't want to dishonour my sword." He told him. "Marcus earned his, I didn't. I want you to put this on his memorial."

"Thank you Chas." Colonel Truman replied, accepting the blade. "You're a better man than I thought."

"Sir, I'd also like to hand back my medal." He replied. "I didn't earn it. Consider this my resignation. After everything I've done, I know I don't deserve..."

"You made mistakes Chas." Colonel Truman replied. "But you were man enough to do something about it and make them right."

"Not all of them." He responded. "I released those stories about Summer."

"Well, I know you'll be man enough to do what's right." Colonel Truman replied. "Square things up with Summer, but I am not about to lose a soldier like you just when you've started to show me you're more than the arrogant snob I always thought you to be."

"You stood against half the military." Scott reminded him. "There's no way they can do without someone that tough."

"Go and get your wounds tended to." Colonel Truman ordered him. "You've earned that much."

Later in the day, the Rangers made their way back to the Garage following the huge battle. Dr. K came over to Scott as he opened a beer and started drinking.

"You did well in your battle today." She told him, feeling herself being drawn to him again. "I was scared for you."

"Thanks." Scott said a little coldly. "I'm fine though. Now, if you don't mind..."

"Scott, I wanted to thank you for everything you've done." She told him, feeling her chest tighten as she tried to express what she wanted to say. "I know it can't have been easy..."

"Dr. K, we need you for the weapons and the Zords." He interrupted her sharply. Dr. K was taken aback by the harshness in his tone and the anger in his eyes.

"Scott..."

"I'm Ranger Series Operator Red!" He roared at her, throwing down his bottle of beer in anger, causing everyone to look around in surprise. "You wanted to keep our relationship impersonal, and so do I!"

"Scott..."

"Don't call me that, you have no right after what you've done!" Scott snapped at her as tears began to run down her face. "Gates told me everything."

"Scott, please..." She started to beg as she grabbed his arm. Scott brought it up, striking her with the back of his hand across the face as hard as he could, sending her sprawling across the floor several feet away.

"Don't EVER touch me!" He warned her.

"Settle down there!" Flynn warned him, getting into Scott's face. "I don't know what she's done but if you touch her again, we're going to have serious problems."

Summer came to Dr. K's side, cradling her defensively as the young woman wept, looking up at Scott, completely heartbroken at the hatred she could feel from him.

"You won't be quite so protective when you know what she did." Scott announced. "She created Venjix. Everything that's happened, everything that's gone wrong, it's her fault."

"Dr. K pushed herself out of Summer's arms as the Yellow Ranger beheld her in disbelief. She looked around the room as the Rangers stared at her, feeling their anger and confusion. She rushed into her lab in a flood of tears and sealed the door behind her. She made her way into her bedroom and threw herself onto the bed, clutching a teddy bear to her chest and wept hysterically. This was everything she feared, and everything she wanted to avoid. She knew the Rangers would never trust her again, and she was once more on her own, a pariah. The thing that hurt most of all was the look of hatred in the eyes of the man she had fallen in love with.


	37. The Ranger's Dispute

Colonel Truman was in his office, being tended to by his medical officer when Chas arrived. Despite it only being a little while since the battle had ended, Colonel Truman still had much to organise, being the leader of Corinth's defence forces.

"You should be in the hospital Chas." He stated. Chas just chuckled. He'd been given a few dressings, but he still hadn't gone to the hospital to get properly checked out. He knew Colonel Truman had been busy, and he was there to help oversee the efforts to re-stabilise the city following the battle. A few riots and petty crimes had flared up as a result of the chaos, and the military was under pressure to move quickly to bring order back to the city.

"Well Hicks is still out of it, so right now I'm all you have." Chas reminded him, making his way into the office. He was using a crutch to help him support his weight because of his leg injury, and he was favouring his ribs and his right arm quite badly. A dressing covered a large part of his face and his right eye, where an explosion had caused some burn damage. "Besides, you took a pretty good beating too and you're still here."

"What did the medics say?" He asked him.

"They said I should get to the hospital." He replied. "The leg should heal, but they think the burns are going to leave some scarring."

"Chas, go and get yourself seen to." Colonel Truman repeated a little more forcefully. "The patrols have almost rounded up the last of the trouble spots."

Just then, there was a small knock on the door and Brie came in, escorted by a couple of armed officers. She came in slowly, her gaze straying over to Chas.

"I'm guessing she isn't here to see me." Colonel Truman stated. Brie came over to Chas slowly, wrapping her arms around him, holding him gently. Chas returned the gesture, taking comfort in her arms. She released him, looking in horror at the dressing on his face.

"Chas, I was so scared I was going to lose you." She said to him softly, beginning to stroke the dressing tenderly. "How bad is it?"

"The doctors think there might be some scarring." He told her with a little grin. "They're confident my eye should be fine though."

"Chas, you can't endanger your health, you need to get tended to properly." She pleaded with him. "You could get an infection or..."

"Chas, in my experience, it's never a good idea to keep a lady waiting." Colonel Truman interrupted her with a smile. He gestured to the other soldiers in the room. "Guys, escort Lieutenant Winchester to the hospital."

"But sir..."

"If he tries to refuse, you have my permission to arrest him." Colonel Truman told them. "You may return when I see a doctor's clearance Lieutenant Winchester."

Chas decided it was best not to refuse the Colonel at this point, and started to leave slowly. He stopped as he realised something curious about what the Colonel had said.

"Sir, I'm only a Sergeant." Chas corrected him. Colonel Truman just smiled and nodded.

"There's a Lieutenant's position waiting for you if you want it." Colonel Truman responded. "Of course it would require a move to the law enforcement division."

"After this, I kind of think Admin will be a little slow for my liking anyway." Chas replied, saluting the Colonel. "Thank you sir."

"Just go and get your injuries seen to." Colonel Truman replied cheekily. "You're not in Admin anymore. I expect my infantry to be on their feet and working."

Chas and Brie turned to leave, before Chas turned back to him. He handed him a folder.

"Sir, before I go, I need to report from the field. There was a small scale Venjix attack near the base after the battle. It was Crunch and Shifter." He told him.

"What happened?" Colonel Truman asked him.

"It doesn't look like it was a major incident, they just caused a couple of casualties and left." Chas told him. "What concerned us is what they took."

"What were they after?" Colonel Truman asked him. He opened the folder and looked at it curiously. "Gates?"

"We never found his body sir." Chas informed him. "They took him with them."

"I need to tell the Rangers and Dr. K." Colonel Truman stated, pulling his jacket on and leaving the room. "Tell Vasquez she's in charge until I get back."

Meanwhile, over at the Garage, the Rangers were sitting around, completely dumbfounded by the revelation from earlier in the evening. They knew that Dr. K hated Venjix, though she hadn't told them much, if anything about her life before the Dome. Indeed, it had only been a few months since she stopped communicating with them through the computers and dealt with them face-to-face. They assumed that like everyone else in Corinth, she had lost someone dear to her to Venjix, though now they knew the real reason behind her passion to destroy it, the guilt over knowing that she created it in the first place.

"You know a lot more of this makes sense now." Dillon said bitterly as he thought about it. "I mean she always was the one that knew what was happening with my implants. She knew about the acceleration codes. She was able to enter the Venjix base codes twice now. I guess we know why."

"Dillon, we have to think about this." Summer told him, holding his hand gently. "We don't know the full story."

"Who cares about the full story?" Scott snapped as he opened another beer. "She created the Venjix virus! She single-handedly destroyed the world!"

"Scott, you don't know..."

"If it wasn't for her, none of this would have happened!" Scott interrupted her. "We wouldn't be in this dome. We wouldn't have to fight every day just to survive..."

His words tailed off as he considered everything that happened since the first attack.

"If it hadn't been for her, Marcus would still be alive."

"You aren't the only one that lost someone Scott, Andrews died to protect me." Summer reminded him. "We all know that she was developing weapons systems before the attack, maybe there was a good reason she was developing it."

"Summer, it isn't exactly a small mistake." Dillon responded bitterly. "Billions of people died..."

"Dillon..."

"I've lost everything because of her!" He reminded her. "I don't know my name. I don't know who I am or where I'm from."

"Dillon..."

"There's still no way of stopping the implants from growing." He reminded her. "It might have slowed down again, but there's no way to stop it! Like it or not, eventually it's going to progress too far. I'm either going to turn into a machine completely or..."

He looked at her regretfully. They both knew what the likely outcome was; they just didn't want to talk about it.

"I could end up back in the stasis pod."

"Dillon, I'm not happy about this either. I don't want to lose you." She assured him. "But you know she's been doing everything she can to stop Venjix. If it wasn't for her, we'd all have been over-run already."

"Just because she's trying to clean up her mess now doesn't make up for causing it in the first place." Scott told her. "I think we should...

"Well you know what I think fearless leader?" Ziggy interrupted him, getting into his face and confronting him aggressively. All the others watched on in shock. Ziggy never had the guts to stand in defiance of Scott before. "I think you should back the hell off and calm down until you hear her side of the story!"

"What difference is that going to make Ziggy?" Scott asked him. "She screwed up..."

"So have I!" Ziggy reminded him. "I spent most of my formative years as a criminal! I was a member of the Scorpion Cartel by the time I was 16."

"Ziggy, we know you made mistakes." Flynn told him. "You've shown us..."

"I'd never have been able to show you if Dr. K hadn't given me a chance." Ziggy snapped. "She knows the reasons I did what I did."

Summer looked at him sympathetically. She had been to the orphanage with Ziggy, and so she knew a lot more about his background than the other Rangers. She knew that he had grown up with no one, and that his involvement with the Cartel had been largely down to him wanting to just find a place he belonged.

"You keep moaning and bitching about the fact you lost your brother, well guess what Scott, some of us didn't even have that to lose!" Ziggy yelled as he continued. "I grew up in an orphanage. My parents dumped me there days after I was born, I don't even know who they were."

"Ziggy..."

"I grew up with no one Scott; do you know what that's like?" He demanded of his team leader. "I was so desperate for someone...anyone to care for me that I clung to anyone that gave me some measure of acceptance; even if I knew what I was doing was wrong."

"Ziggy, you were involved in theft and fraud. No one died because of what you did." Scott replied.

"They could have." Ziggy stated flatly. "You have no idea what I was asked to do back then, but the point is I had my reasons. It doesn't excuse what I've done, but what matters is what I'm doing now, that I do everything I can to help those that need it."

He turned from Scott, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I'm going to check on Tenaya." He told them. "I'll be back later."

Over at the hospital, Chas was sitting in the treatment room, being looked over by the doctors as he finally took the time for a proper examination. He had removed his body armour and his shirt to allow him to get a better look at the injuries. Brie was standing beside him, holding his hand gently.

"The wound in your leg should heal up just fine." The doctor told him. "It'll be sore for a while, but it's missed the bone. As long as you don't put too much strain on it, I'd say it'll be back to normal in a couple of weeks."

At this point, Mr and Mrs Winchester came running into the room, seeing the extent of their son's injuries.

"Oh my God, I was so worried!" Mrs. Winchester rushed out, looking in disgust at the extent of the burns and injuries covering a large part of the right side of his face, neck and chest.

"How is he doctor?" Mr Winchester asked the doctor, not even looking towards his son.

"His eye received some flash damage, but his vision will return in time." The doctor began. "His leg will recover in time, but I'd suggest he doesn't overdo it."

"What about his burns?" Mr. Winchester asked. "How bad are they?"

"I'd say he can expect to have some pretty extensive scarring." The doctor replied. "We'll keep the permanent damage to a minimum, but they extend pretty deeply..."

"Son, you don't have to worry, I'll have the best cosmetic surgeons available working around the clock until this is fixed." Mr. Winchester told him. "We'll have you just the way you were in time for the wedding, and of course we'll have you ready for your photo shoots..."

"Photo shoots?" Chas asked him.

"You're still going to be campaigning for Mayor aren't you?" His father asked as though it was a foregone conclusion. "You have to look your best when..."

"Dad, half the city's gone to hell!" Chas reminded him. "I don't care about becoming Mayor."

"Son, we know this is a terrible shock, but you have to be brave." His mother said, fawning over him. "Look at the state he's in. He better be getting promoted for this, and if he doesn't get awarded another medal..."

Chas interrupted them by slamming his hand on the edge of the bed angrily as his temper overtook him. He could finally see what Summer had loathed about the attitudes of the world they had grown up in. People were dead, others were gravely injured and all they could think about was making him look like a hero?

"I don't want a damn medal!" He roared. "I don't want to be the Mayor either. People's lives have been ruined because of this."

"Son, you can't make any rash decisions." His father told him. "Right now the city needs..."

"It needs dedicated troops to set everything straight more than it needs a politician right now." Chas interrupted him.

"Son, you're just in shock because of the scarring." His mother told him. "Once we've gotten the scars fixed..."

"I don't want the damn scars to be fixed!" He roared at her. "Mom, this is the only thing I've ever done that mattered."

"Son, you're one of the Heroes of Corinth." His dad reminded him. "You can't lower yourself to..."

"Dad, I wasn't a hero I was a God damned pencil pusher!" Chas reminded him. "I never did anything in the battle. You and mom bought my rank, and you used your connections to get me that medal."

"Son, you need to calm down." Mrs. Winchester told him. "This isn't helping."

"I gave back the medal." He informed them. He gestured to his scars. "These are the only medals I've ever earned. This is the only thing I've ever accomplished for myself."

"You gave back your medal?" His father asked incredulously. "Son, you can't..."

"Why can't I hand it back?" Chas asked him. "I wasn't out there like Colonel Truman or Scott, or Marcus. I want to keep the scars. This is one medal I've actually earned."

He got up and started to pull on his jacket as he prepared to leave. His father grabbed his arm, causing him to wince slightly as he inadvertently grabbed the one that was burnt.

"You will not disgrace the Winchester name like this!" He hissed angrily.

"That's all you give a damn about isn't it?" Chas asked him. "If that's the case, then I suggest you don't read tomorrow's newspapers. I'm scheduling an interview tomorrow, and I'm going to tell them the truth about why Summer and I split up."

"You can't do this to us!" Mr Winchester snapped.

"I shouldn't have done it to Summer." He responded. "At least now I can make amends."

"If you do this, then you'll be cut off." Mr Winchester told him as his wife held him and started to cry on his shoulder. Chas just snorted. "I mean it. There'll be no more money, no more mansion, nothing!"

"Well I believe the Landsdowns are getting along alright." Chas stated. "Maybe I'll try working for a living."

"Chas, we don't understand." His mother sobbed. Chas just smiled.

"I know you don't." He replied. "I just hope you do some day."

As he left, Brie left with him, running up behind him and putting her arm around him.

"Chas, it's alright. We can stay with my parents for a while." She told him.

"Brie, you heard what dad said. I'm being cut off." Chas told her. "Your dad won't be interested in marrying you off to the disgraced Winchester kid."

"Chas..."

He cut her off by turning to face her. He looked into her eyes and let out a sigh.

"Brie, this has shown me what's real in this world. I'm sick of being fake." He began. "Brie, do you want to marry me? I don't mean because of your dad and everything, I mean do you actually want to be married to me?"

"Chas?" She asked him.

"Brie, I don't want to live a lie anymore." He told her. "Brie, I love you. I might not have when we got together, but now I do. I just need to know that you feel the same way about me."

She wiped away a tear, before leaning in and kissing him deeply.

"Chas, I always have loved you, ever since we were kids." She told him with a huge grin. "When I heard you were betrothed to Summer, it broke my heart but I knew you'd go through with it. I couldn't believe it when you asked me to marry you."

"Are you sure about this?" Chas asked her. "I mean, I doubt your dad..."

"I couldn't give a damn about my dad, I love you." She announced happily. "If you can do this, then so can I."

"Well, I guess we better go and gather some things." Chas told her. "The Colonel will be able to arrange something on the barracks. We can start looking for a permanent place tomorrow."

With that, he put his arm around her and they left the hospital, prepared to face what lay ahead of them.

Back at the Garage, Colonel Truman arrived, finding the Rangers sitting around quietly, drinking a few beers. He smiled as he saw this.

"I would have thought you'd be celebrating a little more." He commented.

"We didn't really feel like it." Scott told him.

"I just needed to debrief you all a little." He told them. "Where are Dr. K and Ziggy?"

"They're in the secure lab checking on Tenaya." He told him. Colonel Truman made his way through, finding them in the lab with her. Dr. K was working on something, while Ziggy was talking with Tenaya.

"Dr. K, I just wanted to debrief you on something we found at the scene." Colonel Truman stated. He looked at Tenaya a little curiously. "Isn't she meant to be restrained or something?"

"That won't be necessary Colonel." Dr. K replied, trying hard to keep her voice from cracking as she kept concentrating on her work. "As the others continually remind me, she doesn't have anywhere else to go. She isn't going to run back to Venjix."

"Well, I trust your judgement as always." He replied, still looking at Tenaya a little unsure. "Dr. K, I would really like to assemble the others."

"Ziggy, go through with the Colonel and hear what he has to say." She responded. "I have some diagnostics to run."

The Colonel looked at Ziggy, who looked a little guilty. He gestured to the door, signalling for him to leave. Ziggy did so, leaving her alone with him.

"Colonel Truman..."

"I've know you long enough to know when something's upsetting you." Colonel Truman interrupted her. "What's going on?"

"I would like to finish here." She told him unconvincingly. "Colonel..."

"Dr. K, look at me." He told her. She froze as he asked this. The side of her face still throbbed and burned painfully from where Scott had hit her. "Look at me."

She turned slowly to face him, a couple of warm tears running down her face. Colonel Truman stepped forward and stroked her cheek gently, inspecting the injury. The side of her face was already badly swollen, and was turning varying shades of red, blue, purple and black. She could barely keep her right eye open.

"Who did this to you?" He asked her.

"It looks worse than it is." She replied. "You don't..."

"You didn't have those injuries after the battle." He reminded her. "Who did this to you?"

"The Rangers found out about me." She told him. "They were upset."

"Who did this?" Colonel Truman asked again.

"It was Scott." She replied. Colonel Truman stroked her shoulders gently, before leaving her and going into the main room. Looking across at his son, he made his way over.

"So what do you...?"

Scott was sent flying backwards out of his chair as Colonel Truman punched him hard in the face. Scott looked up at him in disbelief.

"Step outside." Colonel Truman ordered him.

"Dad?" Scott asked him. Colonel Truman grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and hauled him back to his feet, throwing him against the door. "

"If you want to hurt someone, I suggest you try hurting me." Colonel Truman told him. "Or are you only brave enough to hit young girls half your size?"


	38. The Recociliation

Colonel Truman threw his jacket aside as he turned back to face the Rangers. Scott and the others all stood facing him, still a little taken aback by his actions. They knew that he and Dr. K had some kind of bond that had formed between them since around the time of the evacuation, but none of them knew that it was this strong. He had attacked his own son viciously for his actions towards her.

"Well Scott, is this the man I raised you to be?" He asked him, stretching out his shoulders. "Did I raise you to be the kind of man to beat up women?"

"Dad, I don't want to fight you." He responded as he stroked his jaw. "You don't know what she's done!"

"What could she possibly have done to deserve that?" He asked him. "What gives you the right to strike a young woman who won't defend herself?"

"Everything is her fault." Scott snapped in response, making his way over to his father. "She's the reason we have to hide in this dome like scared rats awaiting extermination! She's the reason we have to fight every day of our lives just to survive! Every death, every ounce of pain that Venjix has caused is her fault!"

"You found out she created the Venjix virus." He surmised. The Rangers all stared at him in shock as he said this.

"You knew?" Scott asked him.

"Of course I knew!" Colonel Truman snapped. "She told me herself!"

Scott got a hateful expression on his face and got into Colonel Truman's face. He was clearly still livid over the betrayal he felt over her actions, though now he felt another betrayal. His father had also kept this knowledge from him.

"You knew about this and you did nothing about it?" Scott asked him angrily. "She's the reason Marcus is dead! Don't you care about him at all?"

Faster than any of the Rangers could have anticipated him moving, the Colonel lashed out, connecting with another savage punch to the side of Scott's face, almost knocking him completely senseless.

"How dare you ask me that?" He hissed in a disapproving tone as he looked down on his son in disgust. A few tears were beginning to form in his eyes. "Marcus was my eldest son. I've loved him from the moment he was born. I still mourn his loss to this day. Yes, Dr. K created the Venjix virus, and yes it was that battle he died in, but Marcus always knew something that you seem to have forgotten."

He leaned in closer, glaring straight into his eyes.

"Marcus knew the risks when he signed up to the air force." Colonel Truman reminded him. "I was proud of him, just like I was proud of you when you signed up, but I was always terrified. I've watched so many people go out to so many battlefields that never came back. I always knew that was a risk of his career choice."

"But Dr. K...."

"If it wasn't Venjix, we'd probably have been at war with the Middle East, or the Russians, hell we might have been at war with the UK for all I know, politicians were never short of a reason for us to sell our lives for our country." He interrupted him sharply. "Marcus was at war with Venjix, and Gates murdered him. That's just a fact of life, and while I wish and pray every single day that Marcus will walk into my living room with a smart ass comment about how much weight I've put on recently, I know it isn't going to happen. That's no reason to let hatred blind you to the fact that we aren't the only victims."

"I just miss him so much." Scott muttered as he pulled himself up, setting himself down on a chair. Colonel Truman came over to him, grabbing his shoulder. He glared at him judgementally.

"If Marcus was here, he'd be ashamed of you." Colonel Truman told him. "So would your mother. Now, I'm going to bring Dr. K in here, and you are going to sit there and listen to her side of the story, and you aren't going to say another word until she finishes. Do I make myself clear?"

Scott just nodded wordlessly. He had no desire to fight his father. While it had been a long time since his dad would have been able to best him in a straight fight, he just couldn't bring himself to harm him. If nothing else the shame he felt from him had taken the heart out of him and left him with no will to fight anyone. Colonel Truman went into the nearby lab, finding Tenaya sitting in her chair and Dr. K checking over a computer screen. He came over behind her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Dr. K, I'd like you to come through to the Garage." He told her softly. She shook her head.

"I have a lot to do here." She told him. He just chuckled.

"I might not understand a whole lot about your work, but I do remember what some of it looks like." He reminded her. "You've checked that same screen five times since I got here."

"Colonel..."

"The Rangers need to hear the truth." He told her. "All of it."

"With all due respect, I don't see what good it will accomplish." She told him. "They already know the most important detail. They already know that all of this is my fault."

"Dr. K, they need to hear the whole story." He told her. "If they're ever going to trust you..."

"They only need to trust my technology." She interrupted him. "They know that I'm the world's best chance of destroying Venjix for good. Whether they trust me..."

"You know that isn't going to work. That's why I agreed when you asked me not to tell them." Colonel Truman reminded her. "You were the one that said from day one that trust is the most important thing. If they don't believe in each other..."

"They do." She whispered. "It's just me they hate."

"Dr. K, you can't live like that." Colonel Truman told her. "You've been alone for far too long already."

"I guess I should just stay here." Tenaya stated. "Venjix has detailed files on his creation; I already know the story anyway."

"That would probably be for the best." Colonel Truman told her. "Um...sorry to do this, but I'm still a little uncomfortable. Would you mind if I activated your restraints while we discuss this?"

Tenaya breathed an exasperated sigh and placed her hands and feet into position for the restraints to be activated. Dr. K stopped the Colonel as he reached for the control.

"If you want the Rangers to trust my judgement, you must first demonstrate that you are willing to do so." She said gently. "She does not need to be restrained. She will stay here if I ask her."

The Colonel nodded and retrieved his hand. Dr. K just looked at Tenaya.

"Stay here until I return." She instructed her 'captive'. Tenaya just relaxed on the chair as they left, making their way back into the main room. Dr. K walked, standing closely to Colonel Truman as she made her way back to the main room. She could feel the Rangers' gaze on her as she walked in. Scott wasn't even looking at her, instead looking down at his feet. He had fresh injuries on his face, and given the swelling of Colonel Truman's knuckles, she could guess how he had got them.

Dillon's gaze never left her. When he was focused on something, his gaze could be a little unnerving, but when that focus was anger, it was downright terrifying. He watched her, barely blinking as Summer sat next to him with an arm around his waist. She knew that he had more reasons than any of them to hate her.

Ziggy was watching, but she could see something different in his gaze. She could see that he wasn't as angry as the others. If anything, he seemed almost accepting. He had explained to her in the lab before Colonel Truman arrived that he was giving her the benefit of the doubt and only wanted to know the full story. As she looked around, Summer and Flynn seemed to be largely unreadable. While both were upset, they too seemed to be more curious than angry.

As she took a seat, Colonel Truman just stroked her shoulders gently, giving her some comfort under the judgemental gaze of her Rangers. Time slowed to a crawl. Eventually Ziggy broke the silence.

"Dr. K, you can understand why we're upset, but I know better than anyone things are rarely how they seem." He explained. "We just want to know what happened."

"We won't interrupt; we just want to hear what you have to say." Summer assured her, squeezing Dillon to ease his anger a little. "Please begin."

Meanwhile, in Venjix compound, General Shifter came into Venjix's main command room. The column turned, and the computer's burning red eye cast its gaze over him.

"You have acquired what I asked for?" It asked him.

"We got most of it." He replied in a slightly sadistic cackle. "By the time the Rangers were finished with it, there wasn't much left."

With that, Crunch came into the room, wheeling a large contraption, carrying the remains of Gates' shattered body. He let out a low moan as he came to. His right arm was completely severed, and was still in the dome. His legs hung uselessly beneath him, unnaturally limp and flexible having been completely mashed as a result of his near two mile fall from the roof of the central command building. His torso was completely encased in a steel box, with numerous cables and tubes tending to his vital functions. His body had been completely obliterated, and he would surely have died within seconds if he had not been retrieved by the two robotic generals. His face was covered in blood, and the right side of his face was unrecognisable, his eye completely gone. His jaw was broken, held together by a couple of metal plates. He looked around as much as his shattered body would allow with his one remaining eye.

"With all due respect Master Venjix, what could you possibly want this for?" General Crunch asked him.

"As you know, this form is not conducive to my long-term plans." Venjix reminded him. "It is time for me to complete my generation 13 technology."

"Generation 13? You mean you will at last walk among us?" General Shifter asked him as he skipped around Gates erratically, inspecting the near-corpse as he tried to figure out what, if any use this could be to them. "I thought you said..."

"While Dr. K gave me my base programme and my learning capabilities, she did not see fit to give me a body." Venjix explained. "While I have created a great many magnificent creations, nothing has been worthy of serving as my vessel. You see all of my creations are based largely within my programming, which was based on all the files I could download from Alphabet Soup. However, two major programmes were never held on the central database for security, but held on removable data drives."

"Two?" General Crunch asked him. "I thought you said that only Project Ranger was beyond your reach."

"There was one other project that harnessed a connection to the bioelectric field that powers the Ranger rigs." Venjix told them. "Project Strychnine."

The life sign monitors hooked to Gates sounded a couple of alerts as his heart rate and breathing became more rapid. He was wearing the last Project Strychnine rig.

"Utilising the technology within this rig, I will be able to complete my generation 13 rig and finally have a vessel worthy of carrying me across this earth." He announced. Several drills, scalpels and saws descended from the ceiling on mechanical arms. Gates' remaining eye shot open wide in his panic. "Once I remove the unessential components of course."

"That would be you by the way." Crunch told Gates as the alarms on the life monitors bleeped loudly.

"Sucks to be you!" Shifter cackled evilly as the tools descended. Gates let out a blood-curdling cry which resounded throughout the entire complex as the tools began their work.

Back at the Garage, Dr. K had just finished telling the Rangers her story, plunging the room into silence. She couldn't even look at them as they sat in amazement.

"I can't believe any of this." Summer gasped in horror. "I knew that the Government was supposed to have done some reprehensible things, but this?"

"They kidnapped you when you were five?" Flynn asked her. Dr. K just nodded to confirm the detail she had already told them. It all did sound pretty far-fetched, but as Ziggy had already pointed out before, he regularly drove around in a giant green fish, so they were open to just about any concept.

"I had heard about Alphabet Soup before, but like most I always thought it was an urban myth." Colonel Truman told them. "I only realised it was real when I found Dr. K in the wastes. She had walked by herself for miles to try and get to Corinth, but the desert heat finally overcame her. She was unconscious and close to death when I found her. I recognised the insignia on her uniform from the conspiracy theory newsletters."

He began pacing the room, recalling finding her tiny, lifeless form in the wastes before the shields went up.

"I had her taken to a hospital and nursed back to health. Because of her experiences, she had a lot of reasons not to trust many in authority, but she seemed to trust me, and so I helped her get back on her feet." He told them. "She told me about Project Ranger and agreed to set it up as a way to combat Venjix. Over time though, she trusted me with more and more of her past. She finally felt able to tell me about her part in creating Venjix."

"It must have been awful for you." Summer said a little sympathetically. She felt a little tug at her arm from Dillon. She understood that he was still angry about all that happened. As much as he could understand why she had created it, it didn't mean he was completely ready to forgive her for what was happening to him. Summer kept her focus on Dr. K.

"I didn't mean for the virus to spread. I designed it to infect and destroy enemy communications and infrastructure. I knew how aggressive it was and how destructive it could be." She explained. "I needed to upload it to the system before I uploaded the firewall to prevent it spreading beyond the compound."

Colonel Truman put his arm around her as she started to weep.

"They were so desperate to stop me escaping that they stopped me before I could upload the firewall and it spread to the internet." She whimpered. "I only wanted to go outside. Now because of that, I've lost the only two friends I've ever had, and I'm responsible for almost 6 billion deaths. It's haunted me every day since then."

"Dr. K, I'm sorry, I didn't know." Scott said apologetically. "I can't imagine what that must have been like for you."

"I can." Ziggy told him, getting up and making his way towards her. "You long for someone to care for you just for you. It pains you every time you watch anyone else get to go home and spend time with their family, imagining how wonderful it must be to just be normal."

He took her hand gently and smiled at her.

"You're so desperate to get out that you'll do anything just to get it." He concluded. Dr. K smiled at him and nodded.

"Of all of you, I'd never have imagined you and I to be so similar." She commented. "Thank you Ziggy."

"It'll take a while for you all to process this and decide how you want to go on from here." Colonel Truman told them. "That is why I would like you all to go home and spend time with your families. Return here in two days and we'll discuss how things will be from now on. Until then, just spend some time with the ones you love."

Summer got up and took Dillon by the arm, leaving the room. She and Dillon had been intending to do the formal introductions properly anyway. She knew they could get a motel room for Dillon nearby, and it had been a long time since she had spent any real amount of time with them.

Flynn made his way to his Hummer, planning on going home to see his dad at the garage. As he pulled out, Ziggy held up his hand.

"No one's going to be here to take care of Tenaya." He pointed out. "Would you mind if I took her with me?"

"You know, you all have a very interesting concept of what a prisoner is." Colonel Truman grumbled. "Fine."

As they left, Scott looked at his dad, stroking his face awkwardly.

"I guess you wouldn't want me to come home right now." He suggested. "I'll get a motel room."

"I may not be too proud of you right now, but you're my son and I love you." Colonel Truman told him warmly, hugging his son. "I was just going to put the sword on Marcus' memorial. Would you like to come?"

"I'd really like that." He replied. As they turned to leave, Colonel Truman turned back. "There's no reason for you to be here alone Dr. K, would you like to stay with us for a couple of days?"

She looked to Scott, and was a little unsure. Between her feelings for Scott, and the fact she still wasn't sure if he could forgive her, she wasn't certain of the wisdom in accepting the invitation. However, a warm look from the Colonel convinced her. Even if things wouldn't be the same between her and Scott, at least she still had the Colonel to look out for her.

Meanwhile, back at Venjix's compound, Crunch and Shifter came back into the room as the cleaning drones finished cleaning away what was left of Gates' biological tissue.

"So is it finished?" Crunch asked the computer. "Will you finally walk among us your worshipfulness?"

"Behold the generation 13 attack unit." Venjix announced as the claw descended into the floor, pulling out a black and white armoured body. It was a somewhat sleeker and more advanced design than any of his other creations. As it was placed on the floor near the column, a cable connected to the back of its head. Lights flashed as Venjix began the download. The red eye on the column faded and turned dark, and the eyes of the robot lit up as it raised its hands, marvelling at the sensation of having a working body.

"You wanted ultimate power for yourself, and in doing so have gifted me with the ability to create my ultimate weapon." Venjix stated as it thought about Gates. "The end of humanity will soon be at hand."

"Now all we have to do is get inside the dome." General Crunch stated.

"That will only be necessary once the Rangers are destroyed." Venjix announced. "I already have a plan in place to bring them out of the dome. They will come to us."

Fin.

A/N: The end of this story, but I'll start another one to cover future events soon, including the introduction of the latest two Rangers.


End file.
